Biden's surprising exit: Poor polling and funding challenges lead to withdrawal from presidential race

Report by Raneem Bou Khzam, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

Twenty-five days after a poor debate performance against Donald Trump, President Joe Biden has decided to withdraw from the presidential race. During this period, Biden took every opportunity to assert his ability to defeat Trump. 

So, what led to his change of heart on Sunday?

The reasons are multifaceted. 

According to sources from Reuters and Politico, on Saturday, President Biden reviewed private, unpublished polls conducted by his campaign. These polls showed not only poor numbers in the six crucial swing states needed for victory but also in states like Virginia, New Mexico, and Minnesota, where Democrats did not plan to spend significant resources. This was the most decisive factor.

Another major issue was campaign financing. With increasing calls from Democrats for Biden to exit the race, American media reported that several major donors were unwilling to fund his campaign. 

According to exclusive information from Reuters, Biden's campaign aimed to raise $50 million in July but had secured less than half that amount by the end of the month.

Concurrent with the presidential election, all 435 members of the House of Representatives and 34 Senators are up for election. The president's popularity significantly influences voters, providing a substantial boost to their party's candidates for these seats—or dragging them down. 

According to several American media outlets, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told Biden in a call that his continued candidacy was harming his party's chances of retaining control of the House.

These are the main factors that led Biden to decide to step aside, although no one could dictate the timing of his announcement. 

Notably, his decision to withdraw in favor of his Vice President, Kamala Harris, has placed his party in a critical race against time.