NYT poll shows Trump, Biden still tied in Georgia
ATLANTA — A new poll shows President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden running even in Georgia with Election Day just two weeks off, as are Republican U.S. Sen. David Perdue and Democratic opponent Jon Ossoff.
The same poll of 759 likely Georgia voters released by The New York Times and Siena College shows GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler has opened up a lead over Republican U.S. Rep. Doug Collins behind Democrat Raphael Warnock in the fight for second place and a spot in an expected runoff for Georgia’s other Senate race.
The survey, conducted by telephone Oct 13 through Oct. 19, has Trump and Biden tied at 45%, the same result as in a previous New York Times/ Siena poll released on Sept. 24.
“Georgians seem locked in and equally divided when it comes to their choice for president,” said Don Levy, director of the Siena College Research Institute. “Democrats remain committed to Biden, Republicans remain committed to Trump and independents are tilting a little in Biden’s direction.”
The demographic divides between the two candidates also have remained about the same in Georgia. Men support Trump by 12 points, while women back Biden by 10 points.
Biden is the overwhelming favorite of Black voters, with the support of 81%. Trump has the support of 65% of white voters.
Whites without a college degree back Trump 76% to 18%, but the president’s support among whites with a college degree is a much narrower 52% to 40%.
The poll also showed Perdue and Ossoff deadlocked at 43%, with Libertarian Shane Hazel at 5%. Last month’s survey had Perdue up by 3%.
Meanwhile, Democrat Warnock, the pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, is the leader in the special election to complete the unexpired term of retired Sen. Johnny Isakson.
The Siena poll showed Warnock with 32%, followed by Loeffler with 23% and Collins with 17%. None of the other candidates in the crowded field broke single digits.
Loeffler, appointed to the Senate by Gov. Brian Kemp late last year, and Collins, a veteran congressman and former member of the General Assembly, have been waging brutal campaigns to win the right to take on Warnock, the Democratic frontrunner, in a second round in early January.
With about 20 candidates on the special election ballot, it’s highly likely no one will amass the 50%-plus-one vote margin on Nov. 3 needed to avoid a runoff.
The poll’s margin of error was plus-or-minus 4.1%.