Biden takes eight-point lead over Trump in new 2020 election poll

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Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden leads Donald Trump by eight percentage points among registered voters, a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll has found.

The former vice president had support from 46 per cent of those polled, in comparison to the US president’s 38 per cent.

The remaining 16 per cent were undecided, may not vote or planned to back a third candidate, according to the survey carried out between 15 and 21 July.

Mr Biden’s lead over Mr Trump was also seen amongst undecided voters, who would back the Democratic candidate by 61 per cent if they had to choose between the pair.

Just 39 per cent of undecided voters said the same for the incumbent.

Both campaigns will be aware that undecided voters could swing November’s election in either direction, as polls narrow.

The same voters in 2016 swung behind Mr Trump on election day despite polling that summer showing equal levels of support among undecideds for the Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

But 70 per cent of undecided or third-party registered voters told pollsters they disapproved of Mr Trump’s performance in office.

That comes amid nationwide protests against racism and police violence combined with a coronavirus pandemic that has seen more than 141,000 American lives lost and millions out of work.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll also showed that only 38 per cent of the public supported the president’s handling of the coronavirus, including 20 per cent of undecided or third-party registered voters.

On the coronavirus, trust in government, and economic recovery, pollsters said Mr Biden continued to lead Mr Trump among registered voters.

Still, one Democratic super PAC warned this week that Mr Biden led many polls “by default” because voters were not excited about the candidate.

The committee, PACRONYM, said Mr Biden needed to close the so-called enthusiasm gap with Mr Trump, and excite his own supporters.

The PAC will spend $15m (£11.8m) in an online ad campaign aimed at about 1.7 million “low-information” left-leaning voters – largely women of colour under 35 – across Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Arizona and Georgia.