Joe Biden Leading Donald Trump In Michigan, Arizona And Florida, New Polls Show
Joe Biden is leading Donald Trump in three crucial swing states, according to polls released Sunday that were jointly conducted by CNN and SSRS.
In Michigan, the presumptive Democratic nominee leads Trump among registered voters, 52%-40%. The leads are slimmer for Biden over the Republican incumbent in Florida (51%-46%) and Arizona (49%-45%). Biden's poll leads fall outside the margins of error.
The three battleground states — all carried by Trump in 2016 — total 56 electoral votes. Trump won the 2016 election with 304 electoral votes, which is just 34 more than the 270 needed.
The CNN poll showed that a majority of voters in the three states disapprove of Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, with 60% disapproval in Arizona, 59% disapproval in Michigan and 57% disapproval in Florida.
Trump's poll numbers might be particularly worrisome in Michigan, a state he carried in 2016 by only 10,704 votes. Michigan has two Democratic U.S. Senators and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, defeated her Republican challenger in 2018 by nearly a 10-point margin. Prior to 2016, the Democratic nominee had handily won Michigan in six-consecutive elections.
Arizona has become a swing state after recent polling numbers and strong showings by Democrats in recent elections. In 2018, Sen. Krysten Sinema, a Democrat, defeated Republican Martha McSally, 50%-47.6%. A CNBC/Change Research poll released on July 15 showed Biden leading Trump in Arizona by six points.
Florida, which has 29 electoral votes, is considered the most coveted swing state. Trump’s handling of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic could be hurting him with seniors, a crucial voting block in the Sunshine State.
With less than 100 days to go before the Nov. 3 election, the Trump campaign may view these polls as a warning sign. If a vaccine is discovered before the election, or the economy begins a strong recovery, it could bolster Trump’s chances for a second term.
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