Aug 9, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Poll shows Biden leading Trump in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania

Rashaan Ayesh

Joe Biden leads President Trump 48% to 42% in Wisconsin and 49% to 43% in Pennsylvania, according to the latest CBS/YouGov Battleground Tracker poll.

Why it matters: Trump's surprise wins in the two states, where many voters broke his way after deciding the week before the election, helped propel him to an Electoral College victory over Hillary Clinton. Trump won Wisconsin with 47% of the vote and Pennsylvania with 48% in 2016, according to the New York Times.

By the numbers: In both states, 47% of voters view Biden as better equipped to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. 37% of voters in Pennsylvania say Trump would better handle the pandemic, while only 32% of voters in Wisconsin said the same.

The big picture: 85 days from Election Day, the warning signs are flashing bright red for Trump's re-election prospects as voters look poised to reject his handling of the COVID-19 crisis. Anything can happen — but right now, every measurable trend is going against Trump.

What to watch: Nearly half of the voters who said they would pick Biden over Trump responded that Biden's choice for vice president could push them one way or another.

Methodology: The surveys were conducted for CBS News by YouGov. The margin of error in both Wisconsin and Pennsylvania is +/- 3.7. 1,009 registered voters were surveyed in Wisconsin and 1,225 were surveyed in Pennsylvania.

Go deeper: The blue wave threatening to crush Trump's re-election hopes

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Poll shows Biden leading Trump in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania

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