A year before the US presidential election, according to a survey, things are not looking good for incumbent President Joe Biden. The New York Times reported on a survey conducted by Siena College that showed Biden trailing Donald Trump, the candidate for the Republican nomination, in five of the six key battleground states. However, the error tolerances are between 1.8 and 4.8 percentage points.
The survey surveyed a total of 3,662 voters in the six states of Wisconsin, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Michigan and Pennsylvania between October 22nd and November 3rd. The survey showed that both candidates were unpopular, but voters tended to take their frustration out on the president, writes the New York Times.
According to the survey, the Democrat Biden is only leading in the state of Wisconsin. In the “swing states” of Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Michigan and Pennsylvania – all states that are particularly hotly contested between Democrats and Republicans – Trump led by four to ten percentage points, wrote the New York Times. In the 2020 US presidential election, Biden won all six states against Trump, the paper continued.
More trust in Trump on economic issues
Biden’s age in particular turned out to be a disadvantage in the survey, as the newspaper writes – even though he is only about four years older than his most likely opponent, Trump. A majority of 71 percent believed that the soon-to-be 81-year-old Biden was too old to be a competent president. When it comes to Trump, however, 39 percent of those surveyed agreed or somewhat agreed that he was too old.
By 59 percent to 37 percent, respondents said they trusted Trump more than Biden on the economy. Respondents also preferred Trump on issues of immigration policy and national security. Biden’s strongest issue was abortion. Here, voters trusted him nine percentage points more than Trump.
President Biden is running for a second term among the Democrats – without serious competition. Among the Republicans, ex-President Trump is currently far ahead in polls among his party’s candidates. This could lead to another race between the two. Who ultimately runs as a party’s official candidate is determined in internal party primaries in the months before the election.
Trump appeared to testify under oath in fraud trial
Meanwhile, Trump appeared in person to testify under oath in the fraud trial in New York. Even before his statement, Trump spoke to journalists about an “unfair situation.” Attorney General Letitia James said before the court hearing began that she expected Trump to misbehave again. “But ultimately the facts and the numbers are all that matter.”
Trump’s statements have led to tensions with the court. Judge Arthur Engoron repeatedly instructed Trump and his team in the courtroom to answer questions directly from the prosecution instead of making “speeches”: “This is not a political rally, this is a courtroom.” The 77-year-old had previously used his answers in court under oath to accuse the Democrats of using the judiciary as a weapon. The courts and public prosecutors are biased towards him.
The trial is about the future of the 77-year-old’s corporate empire. Prosecutors accuse Trump, his sons and employees of manipulating the value of the Trump Organization for years in order to obtain cheaper loans and insurance contracts. Judge Engoron had already confirmed this before the trial – the proceedings are now primarily about determining possible punishments.
Trump should pay $250 million
Trump is not threatened with a prison sentence or a direct impact on his bid for the presidency, but a conviction could cause him great business damage. Attorney General James wants to ensure that Trump has to pay 250 million US dollars (around 239 million euros) and is no longer allowed to do business in New York. It is unclear whether he would also have to give up properties such as his famous New York Trump Tower if he is convicted.
In recent weeks, the trial had led to Trump’s angry tirades against the judge, court employees and the public prosecutor’s office. Judge Engoron had already threatened him with serious consequences, imposing a fine and a ban on defamation of court employees.
According to many observers, Trump is using the trial as election advertising and repeatedly claims that the trial is part of a political campaign against him.
