According to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll, former First Lady Michelle Obama emerges as a potential Democratic successor to President Biden, outperforming former President Donald Trump by a significant margin in a head-to-head matchup. The poll reveals that Michelle Obama, who has never expressed any intention of running for office, would defeat Trump by 11 percentage points among registered voters, with a support of 50% compared to Trump's 39%.

The poll also showcases other hypothetical matchups, with President Biden tied with Trump at 40% each, while Trump narrowly defeats Vice President Kamala Harris by a single percentage point (43% to 42%). Additionally, Trump secures victories over several Democratic governors who are potentially in line to replace President Biden, including Gavin Newsom of California, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Andy Beshear of Kentucky, and J.B. Pritzker of Illinois.

While Michelle Obama's husband, former President Barack Obama, has publicly supported Biden following his debate performance against Trump, Michelle has maintained distance from the first family throughout the re-election cycle. However, the poll indicates that Michelle enjoys a favorable opinion among voters.

Notably, Michelle Obama has also had close ties to Hunter Biden's ex-wife, Kathleen Buhle, during the Obama administration, and reportedly feels angered by her friend being exiled by the Biden family. Michelle explicitly declined to back President Biden's re-election campaign when asked about it during a 2022 interview.

Barack Obama has been actively involved in Biden's fundraising events during the 2024 election cycle, emphasizing the importance of supporting the former Vice President despite his lackluster debate performance. However, there are private concerns expressed by Obama regarding the possibility that the race may already be over, as he had previously expressed doubts about Biden's ability to secure a win during his 2020 presidential campaign.

President Biden has reassured his campaign staff of his resolve to stay in the race, but he has reportedly expressed frustration to a close ally about his wavering polling numbers and the potential consequences of further declining public appearances. The poll reveals that more than half of Americans (56%) believe Biden should drop out, while 46% say Trump should suspend his campaign.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted from July 1-2 and surveyed 1,070 US adults, including 892 registered voters. The margin of error for all respondents was plus or minus 3.2 percentage points, while it was 3.5 percentage points for registered voters who participated.

As the 2024 presidential election approaches, these poll results provide valuable insights into the potential strengths and challenges faced by different candidates, including the popularity of Michelle Obama in a hypothetical matchup against Donald Trump.