Biden leads Trump in key states of Arizona, Florida, Michigan: poll

Former Vice President Joe Biden leads President Trump in Michigan, Arizona and Florida, three states the president carried in 2016, according to new polling from CNN and SSRS.

Biden leads Trump among registered voters by double digits in Michigan, with 52 percent to Trump’s 40 percent. He also leads by smaller margins in Florida (51 percent to 46 percent) and Arizona (49 percent to 45 percent). All three leads fall outside the poll’s margin of error.

The polling roughly reflects other recent polling of the states, though a Quinnipiac University survey of Florida last week found Biden with a 13-point lead, one of his largest in any poll of the Sunshine State.

The CNN survey also found a majority of voters in all three states disapprove of the president’s handling of race relations, with 59 percent disapproval in Arizona and Michigan and 57 percent disapproval in Florida. On Trump’s handling of the coronavirus, 60 percent disapproved in Arizona, while 59 percent disapproved in Michigan and 57 percent disapproved in Florida.

Majorities continue to approve of Trump’s handling of the economy in Arizona and Florida, with 52 percent approval in both states, while 47 percent of Michiganders approve, compared with 49 percent disapproval.

Fifty-seven percent of voters in Arizona and 64 percent in Florida — two states that have seen major outbreaks of the coronavirus in recent weeks — believe the worst is still ahead in the pandemic. More than 70 percent of voters who believe the worst is ahead support Biden. In Michigan, 51 percent said the worst of the outbreak is behind them.

At the state level, 69 percent of Michigan respondents said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) is doing everything in her power to combat the virus, while 66 percent said Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) could do more, with 63 percent saying the same about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).

Pollsters surveyed 1,002 adults, including 873 registered voters, in Arizona; 1,005 adults, including 880 registered voters, in Florida; and 1,003 adults, including 927 registered voters, in Michigan between July 18 and July 24. The poll has a 3.6 percentage point margin of error and a 3.8 percentage point margin of error among registered voters.