New polls show a tight race between President Donald Trump and challenger Joe Biden in the battleground states of Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Trump won Ohio in 2016 by eight points but won Pennsylvania by just 0.6 percent with his support concentrated in the center and western part of the state. This poll of 750 likely voters, conducted by Pulse/Rasmussen for the Center for American Greatness shows Biden leading Trump 48 percent to 45 percent with a 3.5 percent margin of error. In Ohio, a Pulse/Rasmussen poll of 750 likely voters also conducted for the Center for American Greatness shows Biden leading Trump 47-43. That poll also had a margin of error of 3.5 percent.
The poll also contained other interesting results that could spell trouble for Biden. For example, when asked who they thought would the election regardless of their personal preference 46 percent of respondents in both states said Trump. And when asked who they thought their neighbors were voting 41 percent of Pennsylvania respondents said Trump to just 35 percent for Biden. In Ohio, the number was 40 percent Trump and 30 percent Biden. These questions are asked as another way to measure support, especially when, as with Trump, respondents may be reluctant to disclose they support the president.
Also troubling for Biden is that when asked, “Which characteristic best describes Joe Biden . . . honest and trustworthy, understands the problems of people like you, has the mental sharpness needed to be president, is likable, or is a strong independent leader?” just 6 percent of those asked in both states said that Biden has the mental sharpness required. This is consistent with other polling from Florida and Michigan.
In Ohio, 49 percent of likely voters approve of the job President Trump is doing in office, while 50 percent approve in Pennsylvania.