Could Biden Win Ohio? New Poll Shows Democratic Candidate Slightly Ahead Of Trump In Midwest State

The latest Quinnipiac poll on Wednesday shows Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden with a slight lead over incumbent President Donald Trump in Ohio. The survey shows Biden supporters at 46% in the state, with Trump standing at 45%.

Ohio voters see Trump as having a better grasp on the economy compared to Biden, according to the poll. They also see the former Vice President as being more adept at dealing with crises and responding to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“You have to go back 60 years to find an election where Ohio was NOT a linchpin or a pathway to the presidency. That is why this very close horse race is so deeply consequential. The mantra in the backrooms of GOP and Democratic campaign headquarters has to be... ‘Don’t lose Ohio!’” Quinnipiac University polling analyst Tim Malloy said about the survey. Ohio has 18 votes in the electoral college.

Trump carried Ohio by eight points in 2016 over Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. According to Ohio elections statistics expert Mike Dawson, Trump had a strong lead over Clinton with rural voters and those without a college education.

Former President Barack Obama won Ohio in both the 2008 and 2012 elections.

Biden could also be in a sound position to win other crucial Midwestern states. A Marquette University Law School poll showed Biden support at 49% in Wisconsin compared to Trump’s 41%. Wisconsin carries 10 electoral votes, and Trump won the state by a narrow margin of 0.77% in 2016 over Clinton.

Many have criticized Trump over his handling of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak and the protests, after the 46-year-old African-American George Floyd was killed by a white police officer in May. A New York Times/Siena College poll shows Biden Support at 50% nationwide, compared to Trump’s 36%.