Arizona, a win for Trump in 2016, slides to 'lean Democrat' in Cook forecast

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A new survey released Thursday by the Cook Political Report changed its forecast of Arizona in the November election from “toss up” to “lean Democrat,” indicating President Trump’s dwindling support in the state he had won by more than 3 points in the 2016 presidential election.

The findings reveal a broader shift in the political leanings of Arizona. With the exception of President Clinton’s second term, the Grand Canyon state has voted Republican since 1952.

President Donald Trump arrives for a Latinos for Trump Coalition roundtable at Arizona Grand Resort & Spa, Monday, Sept. 14, 2020, in Phoenix. (AP)

The change of attitudes is largely attributed to Maricopa County, where the state’s capital is located and where about two-thirds of the voters come from, according to the survey’s findings.

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The survey says that Maricopa County voters, like voters in other suburban areas in and around big metro areas, have “soured” on President Trump. Former Vice President Joe Biden leads Trump in Maricopa County by six points. Trump carried the county in 2016 with more than half of the vote.

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In another setback for Trump, Republican voters in Arizona generally are not as committed to supporting him as surrounding solidly GOP states, the survey says, citing the likely influence of former Sen. Jeff Flake and the late Sen. John McCain, both of whom were among the president’s most outspoken critics.