Michelle Obama has topped yet another poll on who Democrats want to stand on November 5 if Joe Biden drops out.
Biden, 81, will likely remain on the ticket but there are concerns about his age and mental fitness to serve as Commander-in-Chief for another term.
The 46 President is storming ahead in the ongoing Democratic Party primary with a clean sweep of delegates so far.
Minneosta Representative Dean Phillips is the only remaining challenger after activist Marianne Williamson and Robert F Kennedy Jr dropped out of the contest.
Michelle Obama with an inset of Joe Biden
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However, the former First Lady has been touted as a potential successor should Biden opt to drop out of the race.
Obama, 60, consistently said she is not interested in running for office and remains “terrified about the outcome of the election later this year”.
The Rasmussen Reports survey finds that 47 per cent of likely American voters believe it is likely Democrats will replace Biden as the Democratic Party nominee.
Almost one-in-five, 22 per cent, believe it is very likely.
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Joe Biden is the frontrunner in the ongoing Democratic Party primary race
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The same number of Democratic voters would pick Obama if the 46th President stood aside.
Obama last month opened up about the state of politics in the US.
During her conversation with Jay Shetty on his On Purpose podcast, the ex-First Lady said: “What's going to happen in this next election?
“I am terrified about what could possibly happen because our leaders matter.”
Michelle Obama is still proving to be very popularPAShe added: “Who we select speaks for us. Who holds that bully pulpit, it affects us in ways that sometimes I think people take for granted.”
Obama expressed her concerns about public perception of Washington, warning: “We cannot take this democracy for granted.”
She continued: “Are people going to vote and why aren't people voting?
“I mean those are the things that keep me up.”
Joe Biden's health is bringing into question his candidacy
REUTERSVice President Kamala Harris trailed in the latest survey in second on 15 per cent.
Hillary Clinton, who lost to Donald Trump in 2016, came in third with 12 per cent support.
California Governor Gavin Newsom sat in a distant fourth on just 11 per cent.
Biden’s re-election bid has been somewhat mired by concern about his cognitive ability after Special Counsel Robert Hur cited his age and memory as a point of concern in an investigation into the mishandling of classified documents.
If the 46th President dropped out, it would result in a situation last seen in 1968 when the Democratic National Convention in Chicago selected the candidate.
Donald Trump is expected to trounce Nikki Haley ReutersTrump is leading the Grand Old Party pack, with a number of Republican rivals dropping out in recent weeks.
Ex-UN Ambassador Nikki Haley remains defiant but looks set for a Super Tuesday drubbing next week.
Despite a number of legal obstacles threatening to derail his third successive White House bid, it appears likely Trump and Biden will face off in a re-run of the 2020 election.
The latest opinion polls suggest Trump could emulate Grover Cleveland in becoming the second Commander-in-Chief to serve two non-consecutive terms in the Oval Office.
Surveys also suggest Trump is opening up leads in a number of key swing states, including Michigan and Georgia.
