Politics

New Poll Shows Trump Down In Key Battleground States, Gaining In Pennsylvania

Matt Smith Photographer/Shutterstock

Adam Barnes General Assignment Reporter
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A new Reuters-Ipsos poll shows President Donald Trump trailing Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden by slim margins in several battleground states but gaining in Pennsylvania.

The poll, which measured likely voters in six battleground states, including some who already cast ballots, was conducted at varying times in the respective states between Oct. 7 and Oct. 19.

Keiran Pedley, a public opinion pollster for Ipsos-MORI, tweeted shortly after the polls release that “swing states polls look good for Biden. There is, however, a slither of hope for Trump – you just have to squint to see it/assume a polling error.”

The poll indicates that Trump made up nearly 3 percentage points on Biden in Pennsylvania, which is nearly in line with the Real Clear Politics (RCP) polling averages that show Biden with a 3.8% lead. Of the surveyed Pennsylvania voters, 51% believe Trump would handle the economy better, compared to 42% for Biden. But 49% say Biden would better handle the coronavirus pandemic.

The poll in Pennsylvania was conducted from Oct. 7  to Oct. 19 and surveyed 1,000 adults, including 653 likely voters.

Biden leads by nearly 8% in Michigan, a crucial swing state where Trump won by less than 1% in 2016. There is a 1% difference in voter’s confidence concerning who they feel would handle the economy better, with Biden edging Trump 47%-46%. Polling in Michigan measured responses from 985 adults, including 620 likely voters from Oct. 7 to Oct. 13.

The two closest battleground states measured in the poll were Florida and North Carolina. Biden, according to the Reuters-Ipsos poll, leads in Florida by 2% and by 1% in North Carolina. Biden’s lead in Florida is on par with the RCP polling averages, which show Biden with a slight 1.4% lead over Trump. The president won the Florida by 1.3% in 2016 capturing the state’s 29 electoral votes. (RELATED: Could It Happen Again? 2020 Battleground Polls Look Familiar)

Reuters-Ipsos polling in Florida was conducted from Oct. 7 to Oct. 14 and collected responses from 1,000 adults, including 653 likely voters.

Biden leads Trump by 8.9% nationally, according to RCP polling averages.