Trump inches past Biden in crucial swing state after debate flop
Donald Trump is leading Joe Biden by two points in the crucial swing state of New Hampshire, according to a survey conducted days after the president’s disastrous debate performance.
The new poll, from Saint Anselm College, found that 44 percent of voters in the Granite State would vote for Trump over Biden if the election were held today.
It constitutes a massive 12-point boost for Trump after a nearly-identical poll in December gave Biden a 10-point lead in the state.
“After a remarkable six months that saw him swiftly dispatch his primary rivals and become the first former President to be convicted of a felony, Donald Trump has erased a ten-point polling deficit and now leads President Joe Biden by a narrow 2-point margin,” said Neil Levesque, the executive director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics.
“However, with 17 percent of voters having an unfavorable opinion of both candidates, this race is likely to remain volatile all the way to the finish,” Levesque added.
More than half of the survey respondents said they view both candidates unfavorably with Biden perceived slightly less favorably than Trump.
Saint Anselm College’s poll also found that independent voters – the key group who may ultimately decide the election – are swinging more in favor of Trump than Biden.
The new polling may reflect public sentiment towards Biden after his lackluster debate performance against Trump. Biden’s strained voice and meandering statements gave an overall impression of weakness compared to Trump’s booming voice and rants, though the former president lied throughout the 90-minute faceoff.
Some Democrats have subsequently raised concerns about Biden’s ability to campaign or hold office, with some suggesting the president should drop out of the 2024 race entirely.
The Biden campaign remains firm that the president will stay in the race, and that he is the better candidate for the country.
Separate polls and some Democratic lawmakers have warned the Biden campaign that his debate performance may impact voters’ decisions.
A poll from USA TODAY and Suffolk University on Tuesday found that Trump is polling at 41 percent while Biden is at 38 percent. Another from CBS News found that 72 percent of voters think Biden should not be running for president.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer warned Biden that his chances of winning her swing state are at risk after the debate.
The Biden campaign has gone on the offense, warning voters that Trump is a threat to democracy and using recent Supreme Court rulings to prove their point.
