It’s now less than 200 days until Election Day, and while most polls have the contest delicately balanced between the two candidates, there’s one area in which Donald Trump appears to hold a sizeable lead over Joe Biden.
In a Echelon Insights poll last month, participants were asked ‘Between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, who do you think would perform better in terms of having a poker face?’
How the Survey Worked?
Of the more than 1,000 participants, 47% said Donald Trump would have a better poker face compared with just 32% for Joe Biden.
| Joe Biden | 32% |
| Donald Trump | 47% |
| Unsure | 22% |
This was part of a section where participants were asked who they thought would perform better at certain activities. These ranged from a hot dog eating contest, where Trump polled at 58% compared to Biden’s 13% — the largest margin in favor of Trump — to changing a baby’s diaper, with Biden’s 44% his largest margin, compared to Trump’s 24%.
What Could Joe Biden’s Election Mean for U.S. Online Poker?
What do these results show?
It’s highly unlikely that one of the presidential debates will be swapped for a heads-up SNG any time soon. And while having a poker face isn’t a surefire way to become a winner at the poker tables, it’s certainly something that is readily understandable by the everyday public, especially those who aren’t poker players.
In recent years, election strategy has become more of a science than an art form, with carefully planned campaigns run by teams of strategists. Therefore, it’s easy to see why the public believes that calm and unreadable facial expressions would be beneficial, especially in situations where you may want to conceal your emotions.
| 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Biden | 35% | 38% | 28% | 29% |
| Donald Trump | 45% | 40% | 53% | 47% |
| Unsure | 20% | 23% | 19% | 24% |
Perhaps many believe that Trump’s business background and reputation as a no-nonsense straight-talker mean that, perhaps counterintuitively, he is much harder to read than Biden. Many of his fervent supporters laud his ability to “say it like it is,” which may work in his favour should he have to bluff and deceive opponents.
On the other hand, Biden’s perceived transparency and emotive nature might lead some to believe he has a less effective poker face. It’s also possible that those surveyed approached this question from a much broader viewpoint, perhaps considering both candidate’s poker abilities as a whole. Therefore, it’s reasonable to assume that some may have taken Biden’s advanced age into account when answering.
What do you think? Which one of the 2024 presidential candidates has a better poker face?
Managing Editor
Based in the United Kingdom, Will started working for PokerNews as a freelance live reporter in 2015 and joined the full-time staff in 2019.
He graduated from the University of Kent in 2017 with a B.A. in German. He also holds an NCTJ Diploma in Sports Journalism.
