United States President Joe Biden has a 2 percentage point lead over his opponent, Donald Trump, in November's presidential election, after the Republican's historic conviction in New York, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll concluded this Friday ( 31).
Trump was accused of having falsified financial records to hide payments to an adult film actress.
In total, 41% of voters interviewed in the survey — carried out hours after Trump's conviction on Thursday (30) — said they would opt for Biden, the Democratic Party candidate, if the election were held today.
In the survey, 39% reported that they would vote for Trump.
20% of those interviewed stated that they did not choose any of the candidates and/or that they are likely to choose a third way or not vote on November 5th.
The survey's margin of error is 2 percentage points.
Between May 7 and 14, Reuters/Ipsos carried out another poll that showed Trump and Biden tied at 40%.
The survey also revealed that 10% of voters would choose Robert Kennedy Jr. — an anti-vaccine activist who is running as an independent — if he were on the ballot with Trump and Biden.
In the previous poll, the candidate had 13%.
Although national polls show important trends in support for candidates, it is a few key states that typically affect the balance of the American electoral college, which really decides who wins the presidential election.
With many voters still remaining undecided about five months before polling day, both candidates carry important weaknesses in the first presidential rematch in nearly 70 years.
On Thursday (30), Trump became the first president or former president in US history to be convicted of a crime.
The Republican candidate promised to appeal the verdict and stated that the accusation was politically motivated.
Trump will be sentenced in July after a jury found the former president guilty of 34 charges after paying bribes to an adult film actress before the 2016 election.
The 77-year-old Republican also faces other criminal charges, which involve attempting to overturn his defeat in the 2020 election and handling sensitive documents after leaving the presidency in 2021. He has pleaded not guilty in all cases.
Biden's electoral weaknesses include his age, 81 years old, and strong criticism within the Democratic Party itself due to its support for Israel's war against Hamas militants in Gaza.
Protests have been reported at US universities in recent months, raising fears among Democrats that young voters could turn against the current president.
The Reuters/Ipsos survey interviewed 2,135 voters, who responded to the survey online.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
