Politics

Cunningham Sex Scandal Overshadowed By Partisan Views, Opinions Of Trump In North Carolina

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Andrew Trunsky Political Reporter
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Democratic nominee Joe Biden holds a narrow one-point lead over President Donald Trump in North Carolina, according to the latest Washington Post/ABC News poll.

Biden leads Trump 49-48 among likely voters in the state, which has emerged as one of the most competitive in the country. In the states senatorial race, Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham leads GOP Sen. Thom Tillis 49-47, the poll found.

Cunningham’s lead over Tillis is driven by his support among women voters, despite recent revelations of an extramarital affair with the wife of a combat veteran. He leads among the demographic by 14 points, according to the poll.

Though Democrats have worried that Cunningham’s affair could jeopardize the race, only 26% of voters said that it was either extremely or very important, while 81% said the same regarding which party controls the Senate.

Cunningham has consistently held a single-digit lead over Tillis in the polls, while Biden leads Trump in North Carolina by three points, according to FiveThirtyEight(RELATED: Trump’s Self-Inflicted Wounds Make For An Unlikely Reelection, Experts Say)

Trump won the state by roughly four points in 2016, and a Biden victory would significantly complicate his path to reelection, The Washington Post reported. While 47% of voters in the state approve of his performance, 51% disapprove, the poll found.

Democratic presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden delivers remarks in the parking lot outside the United Auto Workers Region 1 offices on September 09, 2020 in Warren, Michigan. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden delivers remarks in Warren, Michigan. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Though a majority of voters in the state like Trump’s handling of the economy, with 53% saying they approve, an equal majority of voters disapprove of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, the poll shows. (RELATED: Battleground Polls show Massive Shift Among Senior Voters)

Biden’s lead has been helped by his standing among white women with college degrees and senior voters, two demographics that support Trump at weaker rates than they did four years ago. Biden leads Trump by 20 points among women with college degrees and trails Trump by 10 points among voters 65+, the poll shows.

In 2016, Trump won each group by eight and 23 points, respectively, exit polls show.

WILMINGTON, NC - SEPTEMBER 02: President Donald Trump speaks to a small crowd outside the USS North Carolina on September 2, 2020 in Wilmington, North Carolina. President Donald Trump visited the port city for a brief ceremony designating Wilmington as the nation's first WWII Heritage City. The title is in honor of the area's efforts during WWII. (Photo by Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)

President Trump speaks outside the USS North Carolina on Sept. 2 in Wilmington, North Carolina. (Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)

The WaPo/ABC poll was conducted among 646 likely voters across the state from Oct. 12-17, and has a margin of error of 4.5 points.

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