US: New polls show Trump leading Biden in two key states

Washington DC [US]: In a major boost for Donald Trump, a new CNN poll has found the former President has the upper hand over President Joe Biden in two critical battleground states - Michigan and Georgia.

The poll conducted by SSRS has also found that the broad majorities in the two states have negative views of Biden's job performance, policy positions and sharpness.

In Georgia -- a state Biden carried by a very narrow margin in 2020 -- registered voters say they prefer Trump (49 per cent) over Biden (44 per cent) for the presidency in a two-way hypothetical matchup.

In Michigan -- which Biden won by a wider margin -- Trump has 50 per cent support to Biden's 40 per cent, while 10 per cent said they wouldn't support either candidate even after being asked which way they lean.

In both Michigan and Georgia, the share of voters who say they wouldn't support either candidate is at least as large as the margin between Biden and Trump.

According to CNN, the two most recent occupants of the White House appear to be the most likely nominees for their respective parties in next year's presidential election, with Biden's primary challengers largely lacking traction in polling on Democrats' preferences, and Trump well ahead of his GOP rivals in nearly all polling - including these surveys - on the nomination race.

Trump's margin over Biden in the hypothetical matchup is significantly boosted by support from voters who say they did not cast a ballot in 2020, with these voters breaking in Trump's favour by 26 points in Georgia and 40 points in Michigan.

Among the 2020 voters, they say choosing Biden over Trump in that election, but as of now, they tilt in Trump's favour for 2024 in both states, with Biden holding on to fewer of his 2020 backers than Trump.

According to CNN, those numbers hint at possible challenges for both candidates in the long campaign ahead.

While, Trump's advantage rests on the assumption that he can both maintain support among a fickle, politically disengaged group and convince them to actually vote, on the other hand, Biden will need to win back the support of disaffected former backers who show little excitement about his re-election bid.

President Biden's struggles in both states are apparent in voters' impressions of his performance as president, and their views on how his policy positions, ability to understand their problems, stamina and sharpness fail to live up to their image of an ideal president.

The surveys have also found that overall, just 35 per cent in Michigan and 39 per cent in Georgia approve of Biden's job performance, and majorities in both states say his policies have worsened economic conditions in the country (54 per cent in Georgia, 56 per cent in Michigan).

Those grim numbers partially reflect softness among Biden's base: About one-quarter of Democratic and Democratic-leaning registered voters in each state disapprove of Biden, and a little more than 4 in 10 say his policies have not helped the country's economy.

Notably, Biden's campaign is working to sell voters on the success of his economic agenda, with a recently launched ad in Michigan focused on small businesses and the middle class, CNN reported.

The poll also finds little consensus among voters in both states on America's handling of the Israel-Hamas war -- an issue that has caused a rift within the Democratic Party -- with more progressive and younger Democrats pressing Biden to call for a ceasefire.

Overall, about 4 in 10 in each state say the US is doing the right amount to help Israel, with about a third saying the US is doing too much and roughly a quarter too little.

About half of voters younger than 35 in both states, though, say the US is doing too much (49 per cent in Michigan, 46 per cent in Georgia), more than 20 points higher than the share of those age 50 or older (23 per cent in both states), CNN reported. (ANI)