A nationwide poll released Saturday indicated that support for President Donald Trump has increased following his debate performance and his hospitalization for the novel coronavirus.
The poll, conducted beginning at 7:00 p.m. Friday by John Zogby Strategies and EMI Research Solutions, shows Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden with 49 percent support and Trump with 47 percent support, with four percent undecided.
The poll’s margin of error is 3.2 percent, indicating the two candidates are statistically tied.
The same poll showed Biden leading Trump by six points on August 29, 48 to 42 percent, and seven points on July 8, 49 to 42 percent. Biden’s now two-point lead reveals a tightening race.
“Contrary to my own observations, it looks like the President has not been hurt by his debate performance nor his hospitalization,” pollster John Zogby observed, adding that Trump’s 47 percent support is one point higher than it was in 2016.
Trump and Biden met for their first debate of the general election season on September 29.
Three days later, on Friday morning, Trump announced he and the first lady had tested positive for coronavirus, and the White House said Friday afternoon that Trump would be transferred to Walter Reed hospital “out of an abundance of caution.” White House physician Sean Conley said Saturday morning that the president was “doing very well.”
Incidentally, the poll revealed that overall, coronavirus is the top issue for 38 percent of voters, while jobs/economy is the top issue for 34 percent of voters, health care for 33 percent, crime/public safety for 19 percent, taxes/budget for 15 percent, immigration for 13 percent, and climate change/environment for 12 percent.
The poll found that Democrats are “far more likely” than Republicans to select coronavirus as their top issue, 47 percent to 28 percent, while Republicans are more likely than Democrats to select jobs/economy as their top issue, 40 percent to 29 percent.
Among Democrats, Biden leads 91 percent to eight percent, and among Republicans, Trump leads 94 percent to six percent. Among independents, Zogby noted, “Our last poll had Mr. Biden leading strongly … but now the two candidates are tied” at 44 percent each, with 12 percent still undecided.
The poll was conducted online with a random sample of 1,006 likely voters weighing in.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.