Biden leads Trump in Arizona, Minnesota: poll

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden gained a small lead over President Trump in the battleground state of Arizona and holds a larger 9-point lead in Minnesota, according to a new poll. 

Biden is backed by 47 percent of likely voters in Arizona, compared with Trump’s 44 percent, according to a CBS News poll released Sunday. Biden’s 3-point lead is within the poll’s margin of error. 

Biden has gained on Trump in Arizona since a similar poll conducted in July found the race tied, with 46 percent of likely voters backing each candidate. 

The survey also found half of Arizona voters said they think Biden would do a better job handling the coronavirus outbreak, with 50 percent saying Biden would handle it better, compared with 37 percent who said the same about Trump. 

Biden also leads when voters were asked who would make them feel safer, with 46 percent saying Biden and 41 percent saying Trump. The candidates were about even when asked who would do a better job handling the economy, with 45 percent saying Trump and 44 percent saying Biden, based on the poll. 

In Minnesota, a state Trump narrowly lost in 2016, Biden is backed by 50 percent of likely voters, based on the poll. The survey found 41 percent of likely voters said they would vote for Trump. 

Biden again led Trump when voters were asked about the coronavirus outbreak, with 50 percent saying Biden would do a better job handling it and 36 percent saying Trump would. Additionally, 47 percent of voters in Minnesota said Biden would make them feel more safe, while 42 percent said the same about Trump. 

Trump has a lead over Biden when voters were asked about handling the economy. Forty-eight percent of likely voters in Minnesota said Trump would do a better job handling the economy, and 44 percent said Biden would, based on the poll. 

The surveys were conducted on behalf of CBS News by YouGov between Sept. 9 and Sept. 11. The Arizona poll is based on 1,122 registered voters, and the margin of error is 3.8 percentage points. The Minnesota poll is based on 1,100 registered voters and has a margin of error of 3.6 percentage points.