6 months out, Biden tops Trump in latest national poll
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A new national survey is the latest to indicate Democratic challenger Joe Biden leading President Trump in the White House race.
The former vice president and presumptive Democratic nominee tops the GOP incumbent 44-38 percent in a new USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll, with 8 percent backing a third-party candidate and 9 percent undecided. Without a third-party candidate, the national survey shows Biden topping Trump 50-40 percent.
BIDEN HOLDS EDGE OVER TRUMP IN BATTLEGROUNDS, BUT THERE'S A CATCH
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"Joe Biden is winning general election voters in important demographics that his previous Democratic opponents could not. His current strength among independent voters will be key as he begins to court these voters in states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin,” Suffolk University Political Research Center director David Paleologos noted.
The poll’s Monday release comes as the president’s saw his approval ratings on how he’s handling the coronavirus pandemic edge down in recent weeks. And that might be impacting Trump’s standing in general election matchups with Biden. A Real Clear Politics average of the latest national horserace surveys, including a Fox News poll, indicates Biden with a 48-42 percent advantage over the president.
Trump’s backing among Republicans in the new Suffolk University poll remains rock-solid, with more than 9 of 10 Republicans saying they will vote for him. But his support among independents stands at just 31 percent in a two-way showdown.
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And while Trump leads among men 46-35 percent, Biden holds a massive 53-30 percent advantage among women.
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The USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll was conducted April 21-25, with 1,000 registered voters nationwide questioned by live telephone operators. The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.
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While national horserace polls are a useful barometer, the presidential contest is a battle for the states and their electoral votes. And most of the latest polls from the crucial battleground or swing states indicate Biden with the advantage over Trump.