Former US President Donald Trump holds an edge over President Joe Biden according to new polls conducted among registered voters in four key swing states
According to the new poll from The New York Times and Siena College, in Nevada, a state Biden narrowly carried in the 2020 presidential election, Trump boasts 52% support to Biden’s 41%. Trump also tops Biden in Georgia, a state that was central to his ploy to overturn the last presidential election, with 49% to Biden’s 43%.
In Arizona, Trump leads Biden, too, with 49% to the current president’s 44%. In Michigan, Trump holds a 5-point lead as well: 48% to Biden’s 43%.
In Pennsylvania, a state Trump won in 2016 but Biden recaptured in 2020, Trump is at 48% to Biden’s 44%.
Each poll has a margin of sampling error between 4.4 and 4.8 points, and the head-to-head matchup remains theoretical as primary voting does not begin until next year.
In Wisconsin, meanwhile, Biden takes 47% to Trump’s 45%, well within the survey’s margin of error.
Trump is the Republican party front-runner, while Biden, who drew a primary challenge from Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips last month, is heavily favored for the Democratic nomination.
The latest battleground state polling underscores the considerable challenges facing Biden’s reelection bid, including low job approval ratings and questions about his age and ability to govern.
The poll results are troubling for Biden given Trump’s mounting legal troubles.
Trump faces 91 criminal charges across four indictments. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. So it’s troubling that voters will still prefer Trump to Biden despite his mounting legal challenges.
Biden campaign spokesman Kevin Munoz downplayed the polling in a statement on Sunday, November 5 telling CNN: “Predictions more than a year out tend to look a little different a year later.”
“Coming off those historic (2022) midterms, President Biden’s campaign is hard at work reaching and mobilizing our diverse, winning coalition of voters one year out on the choice between our winning, popular agenda and MAGA Republicans’ unpopular extremism. We’ll win in 2024 by putting our heads down and doing the work, not by fretting about a poll.” Munoz said.