Former President Trump is leading President Biden in the swing state of Georgia by 5 points as the two prepare to square off this week in a debate in the state’s capital, according to a new survey.
The poll, released Tuesday by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, shows Trump garnering 43 percent support to Biden’s 38 percent in the Peach State.
Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is not yet on the state’s ballot, secured 9 percent support, while 8 percent said they were undecided.
Georgia became a pivotal battleground state in 2020, when Biden flipped the state blue for the first time in decades, beating Trump by fewer than 12,000 votes. The president’s victory was the closest state in the last election cycle and marked the first time a Democrat won electoral votes from the state since former President Clinton in 1992
The 2024 race has so far lacked signs of the big turnout that boosted Biden’s numbers four years ago, however, and Decision Desk HQ predicts Trump has a 63 percent chance of winning Georgia.
The poll also found Biden’s support has decreased among young voters, with about 12 percent of Georgia residents ages 18-29 saying they will vote for him. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution noted its previous polls showed “significantly more backing” for Biden from younger voters.
Biden and Trump will head to Atlanta this Thursday for their first presidential debate this cycle. The debate, hosted by CNN and moderated by Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, kicks off at 9 p.m. EDT.
The poll was conducted June 11-22 by the University of Georgia’s School of Public and International Affairs and surveyed 1,000 likely voters. The survey has a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.