Two new polls show trouble for President Trump with Democratic nominee Joe Biden jumping to the lead as both rivals lit up social media over the news.
Biden is ahead of Trump 55-40 in a Washington Post/ABC News poll and 49-41 in a Fox News poll. Both polls were released Sunday.
But the news didn’t stop there.
When asked if he would accept the results of the Nov. 3 election, Trump hedged. “I think mail-in voting is going to rig the election. I really do,” he told “Fox News Sunday” host Chris Wallace.
When pressed, Trump said he is not saying unequivocally he won’t accept the results. “No. I have to see,” he said.
As the Herald reports today, mail-in voting comes with a host of concerns. And, the Fox News poll adds, that could help Trump come election day.
The Fox poll shows neither Biden nor Trump receive 50% support and 10% are undecided or back someone else. Also, the Fox poll shows the number of Biden supporters who said they are “extremely likely” to vote plummets — placing the former VP’s lead at just 3%.
That’s worrisome for the Democratic camp if coronavirus concerns keep people away from the polls. A 3% lead is within the margin of error.
“The only hope for Trump is something external,” veteran pollster John Zogby told the Herald Sunday. “It could be Biden completely collapsing or something miraculous happening, like a vaccine or the economy bouncing back.”
The Fox poll shows 29% rank coronavirus the No. 1 problem in America today. Next is the economy at 15% and 10% who say race relations.
Biden wasted little time using Twitter and a campaign statement to take on Trump as the poll news spread.
“The American people will decide this election. And the United States government is perfectly capable of escorting trespassers out of the White House,” Biden’s campaign stated after Trump’s doubts about election results.
Biden also went after the president over the continued spread of the coronavirus, now mostly in southern and western states.
“The hard truth is that it didn’t have to be this bad,” Biden tweeted, “but Donald Trump ignored the experts and refused to take action. He has failed our nation.”
The hard truth is that it didn’t have to be this bad, but Donald Trump ignored the experts and refused to take action. He has failed our nation. pic.twitter.com/WAhigUtsxz
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 19, 2020
Trump also kept up the pressure on Twitter, writing, in part: “The Radical Left Democrats, who totally control Biden, will destroy our Country as we know it.”
The Radical Left Democrats, who totally control Biden, will destroy our Country as we know it. Unimaginably bad things would happen to America. Look at Portland, where the pols are just fine with 50 days of anarchy. We sent in help. Look at New York, Chicago, Philadelphia. NO!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 19, 2020
But the 2020 presidential race, like the 2016 tilt vs. Hillary Clinton, will come down to swing states needed to capture the 270 Electoral College votes a candidate needs to win.
A Real Clear Politics count shows Biden is up, but Trump is close behind with plenty of states still listed as a “toss up.”
