Trump vs Biden: Nearly Tied in Florida, Arizona
President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden are nearly tied in Florida and Arizona, according to a new poll.
Reuters is polling likely voters in six states that will play critical roles in deciding whether Trump wins a second term in office or if Biden will snatch the presidential seat in the November election. These states are Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, and Arizona.
In Florida, the poll showed that 47 percent are voting for Trump. The same goes for Biden. It also showed that 46 percent said Biden would be better at handling the coronavirus pandemic, while 46 percent said that Trump would be better.
Over 51 percent said Trump would be better at handling the economy, while 41 percent sided with Biden's ability. Meanwhile, three percent said that they had already voted.
In Arizona, 47 percent likely voters said they would vote for Biden, while around 46 percent said they would be voting for Trump.
Around 47 percent said that Biden would be better at handling the coronavirus pandemic, while 44 percent said Trump would be better.
In the same state, 49 percent said Trump would be better at handling the economy, while 44 percent said Biden would be better. Three percent said they already had voted.
Swing States
Swing states, also known as toss-up states, are decided not by the national popular vote but by the Electoral College. These states are considered in play for both candidates and offer relatively large vote hauls.
Election analysts consider state battlegrounds where the margin of victory is expected to be fewer than five percentage points. Democratic voters tend to be strong to the densely populated West Coast states, while Republicans maintain the more rural South and center of the country.
During the Hillary Clinton campaign in Florida, they had hoped that Hispanic voters would support her. Hispanic voters are composed of about 15 percent of registered voters in Florida in 2016.
Black voters also make up about 13 percent of registered voters in Florida. This would have been enough to mark her victory. However, Trump rose among working-class voters, winning the state by 0.8 percentage points.
This year, polling in recent weeks showed that Biden had made significant inroads among older voters. Meanwhile, Trump hampered Biden's gains by acquiring more support from Hispanic voters.
In Arizona, Trump carried Arizona by 3.4 percentage points in 2016.In 2012, Romney carried the state by nine percentage points. Bill Clinton was the last Democrat to snatch Arizona in 1996.
Aside from Florida and Arizona, other states could also become competitive in the coming weeks. Trump has been eyeing New Hampshire and Minnesota. Hillary won New Hampshire against Trump by a little less than 0.4 percent, while she won Minnesota by 1.5 percent.
Biden, on the other hand, is paying attention to Georgia, Iowa, Ohio, and Texas. Trump swept these states to his victory back in 2016.
Democrats have been eyeing Texas for several years. Texas has eluded them ever since Jimmy Carter won in 1976.
Check these out:
US Election Issues: Trump, Biden Present American Realities That Are Polars Apart
Hispanics in Florida Are More Likely to Vote for Trump
Majority of Latino Voters in California Are Certain to Vote in November