Trump overtakes Biden in 5 swing states; poll shows why US desires major change
Trump vs Biden presidential rivalry: 55% of the voters are counting on “major changes,” while 14% felt “the system needs to be torn down entirely.”
Former US President Donald Trump is counting on this year's presidential elections to swoop in for Term 2. The latest New York Times, Siena College, and the Philadelphia Inquirer poll on Monday morning revealed that the ex-president is leading in five of six key swing states.
Meanwhile, Biden's chances of a new term have been undermined despite months of campaigning. Reportedly, young and non-white voters have particularly expressed their discontentment over his handling of the economy and the war in Gaza.
The survey shows that Trump is currently dominating the head-to-head presidential rivalry with Biden, favourably winning the registered voters' support in Michigan, Arizona, Nevada, Georgia and Pennsylvania. Biden led the poll in merely one state - Wisconsin. It was also noted that all six states favoured Biden in 2020.
After his State of the Union address in March, Biden gained a sudden surge of support. However, his stance on pressing issues like immigration, cost of living and Israel's occupation in Gaza has seemingly pushed voters's desire for change.
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Trump vs Biden: Why voters desire a change in the US
The poll (surveying 4,097 people from April 28 to May 9) found that 13% of people who voted for Biden in 2020 were apprehensive of his foreign policy, citing why they won't be voting for him this year. (Also read | April poll: Survey: Biden almost caught up with Trump's early polling popularity )
As per the poll numbers, it was also recorded that US citizens are deeply bent on welcoming a change, which they feel will be more likely delivered by Trump over Biden. 14% of pollers said the system had “to be torn down entirely," while 55% favoured “major changes."
Although the voters weren't sure if the potential change reeled in by Trump would be good or bad, their doubts about Biden's ability to deliver positive changes were even lower. Only 13% of Biden's supporters believe that he will deliver improvements in his second term. On the other hand, those against Trump acknowledged that he may shake things up.
Who voted more for whom?
Trump and Biden tied among 18-to-29-year-old and Hispanic voters. Even among these voters, the poll showed that over 60% voted for Biden in 2020. Trump led the numbers among Black voters, marking the highest extent of Black support for any Republican presidential candidate since the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was enacted.
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On the contrary, Biden stayed relatively strong among older and white voters, representing a quota that is less likely to push for changes to the system. For the same reason, Biden steadily maintained his competitive numbers in relatively white Northern swing states - Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
The economy fared as another one of Biden's vulnerabilities, as 40% of Trump's supporters underscored its influence on their standing. On the flip side, the poll presented the issue of abortion as Trump's kryptonite, as 64% of voters on average in battleground states highlighted that abortion should be “always or mostly legal.” These numbers also included 44% of Trump loyalists.
