Updates to our Terms of Use

We are updating our Terms of Use. Please carefully review the updated Terms before proceeding to our website.

Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Poll Gives Biden a Sizable Lead With Pennsylvania Democrats

Former Vice President Joe Biden holds a significant lead over his 2020 Democratic rivals in Pennsylvania, according to a poll published Thursday.

[gallery type="rectangular" link="file" size="large" ids="501602,513886"]

(CN) – Former Vice President Joe Biden holds a significant lead over his 2020 Democratic rivals in Pennsylvania, according to a poll published Thursday.

Biden enjoys 30% support among registered Democrats in Pennsylvania, says the Franklin & Marshall College Poll.

“Former Vice President Joe Biden remains the top choice for president among Pennsylvania’s registered Democrats,” the report states, “followed by Senator Elizabeth Warren.”

Warren, the senator from Massachusetts, has 18% support. Since Franklin & Marshall’s last poll was in August, Biden has increased his lead on Warren by several percentage points. Biden gained two points while Warren lost three points from the August poll.

Thursday’s poll indicates the preference for Biden or Warren depends on where the voter falls along the political spectrum.

“The tension between moderate and liberal Democrats has been well documented and the candidate preferences of these two groups differ: liberal Democrats prefer Warren (31%) to Biden (24%), while moderate Democrats overwhelmingly prefer Biden (40%),” a statement accompanying the poll said.

Farther down the ladder, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont enjoys 12% support and South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg has 8%.

All other candidates – including Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Sen. Michael Bennet, Sen. Kamala Harris, Sen. Cory Booker and entrepreneur Andrew Yang – polled below 2% among Pennsylvania Democratic voters. About 8% of voters said they were undecided.

Pennsylvania aside, Warren has been polling ahead of Biden nationally in recent weeks. In an Oct. 24 poll released by Quinnipiac University, Warren held 28% support among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents; Biden held 21%.

“The question remains whether this is a blip or a trend," said Quinnipiac University Polling analyst Mary Snow of Biden’s decreasing numbers in a statement on the poll.

Because the swing state holds 20 votes in the Electoral College, widespread support in Pennsylvania – a which went to Trump in 2016 – would be an advantage for the 2020 Democratic nominee.

On the Republican side, the Franklin and Marshall poll reported 68% of Republicans rate President Donald Trump’s performance positively and 74% say they will vote for him regardless of who else is on the ballot.

The Franklin & Marshall poll has a margin of error of +/- 8.9 percentage points based on a survey of 482 Pennsylvania registered voters between Oct. 21-27.

Follow @@lexandrajones
Categories / Politics

Subscribe to Closing Arguments

Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.

Loading...