The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Quinnipiac poll: As Biden leads Trump, 60 percent say COVID is out of control
With less than two weeks until Election Day, likely voters support former Vice President Joe Biden over President Donald Trump 51 to 41 percent, according to a new Quinnipiac University national poll.
This is the third national survey among likely voters since September that shows Biden with a 10-point lead, as Biden led Trump 52-42 percent on both Sept. 2 and Sept. 23.
Among likely voters who say they will cast a ballot in person on Election Day, about two-thirds (65 percent) say they back Trump, while 28 percent support Biden.
Among likely voters who have voted or plan on voting by mail or absentee ballot, roughly 7 in 10 (69 percent) say they support Biden, while 21 percent want Trump reelected.
For likely voters who have or plan to cast their ballot at an early voting location, a majority (57 percent) support Biden and about one-third (35 percent) support Trump.
Trump handling the job and coronavirus
Likely voters give Trump a negative 41-55 percent job approval rating. That compares to a negative 43-53 percent job approval rating on Sept. 23.
He also gets a negative 41-57 percent approval rating for his handling of the coronavirus response, which compares to a negative 42-56 percent rating on Sept. 23.
Roughly 6 in 10 likely voters (59 percent) say the spread of the coronavirus is out of control in the United States, while 35 percent say it is under control.
"In a historically chaotic election year, voters are feeling like the coronavirus is out of control," said Tim Malloy, Quinnipiac’s polling analyst.
About two-thirds of likely voters (67 percent) think everyone should be required to wear face masks in public, while 30 percent don't think they should be required.
Satisfaction with the nation
Thirty percent of likely voters say they are either very satisfied (11 percent) or somewhat satisfied (19 percent) with the way things are going in the nation today, while 68 percent say they are either somewhat dissatisfied (20 percent) or very dissatisfied (48 percent).
Biden vs. Trump: Personal traits
Just under half (49 percent) of likely voters say they have a favorable opinion of Biden, while 44 percent have an unfavorable opinion.
More than half of likely voters (55 percent) have an unfavorable opinion of Trump, while 40 percent have a favorable opinion.
Likely voters say 64-30 percent that Biden has a sense of decency, but 60-37 percent say that Trump does not have a sense of decency.
The same question was asked in 2016 about Trump and then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. In an Oct. 19, 2016 poll, 55 percent said Clinton had a sense of decency, while 42 percent said she did not.
In that same 2016 survey, 59 percent of voters said Trump did not have a sense of decency and 36 percent said he did.
Biden vs Trump: The issues
Likely voters were asked who would do a better job handling four key issues. On handling the economy, they said Trump 48 percent and Biden 47 percent. On handling health care, they said Biden 55 percent and Trump 39 percent. On handling the response to the coronavirus, they said Biden 55 percent and Trump 38 percent. On handling Supreme Court nominations, they said Biden 49 percent and Trump 43 percent.
"Americans vote from their wallets ... but character also counts. The president may still engender some confidence when it comes to handling the economy, but on decency, voters
see a yawning void between Trump and Biden," Malloy said.
Supreme Court, ACA and abortion
A majority of likely voters (52 percent) say the presidential election winner, not President Trump before the election, should fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court created by the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
As to whether the Senate should confirm President Trump's nominee Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, voters are split. 46-46 percent.
A majority of likely voters (56 percent) say they would like to see the Affordable Care Act remain in place.
Two-thirds (66 percent) of likely voters say they agree with the 1973 Supreme Court decision that established a woman's right to an abortion, while 27 percent say they disagree.