Quinnipiac shows Biden with 8-point lead in Pennsylvania

Former Vice President Joe Biden has opened up a clear 8-point lead over President Trump in Pennsylvania, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll released on Thursday.

The poll of likely voters in the Keystone State shows Biden garnering 52 percent of the vote to Trump’s 44 percent. Another survey of the state from Monmouth University released on Wednesday showed a tighter race, with Biden ahead by a scant 4-point margin.

Both candidates see Pennsylvania as a must-win battleground this year. Trump carried the state in 2016 by only about 44,000 votes — less than 1 point — and is hoping to notch a second victory there in November. 

But with the exception of his home state of Delaware, Biden has spent more time in Pennsylvania than in any state since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, and Scranton, Pa., where Biden was born, claims him as a native son. 

Trump’s overall job approval in Pennsylvania is underwater at 43 percent approval to 54 percent disapproval, according to the Quinnipiac poll. Views of his handling of the coronavirus mirror his overall approval; 43 percent approve compared to 54 percent who disapprove. 

Still, a majority of Pennsylvania voters give Trump positive reviews for his handling of the economy. Fifty-two percent said they approve of his handling of the current economic situation, while 46 percent disapproved. 

Meanwhile, Pennsylvania voters are largely split in their perceptions of Biden. The poll showed 46 percent reporting a favorable view of the Democratic nominee compared to 45 percent who hold an unfavorable opinion of him. 

Trump’s favorability is underwater, with 41 percent of respondents saying they have a favorable opinion of the president and 55 percent reporting an unfavorable view.

The Quinnipiac University poll surveyed 1,107 likely voters in Pennsylvania from Aug. 28-Sept. 1. It has a margin of sampling error of 3 percentage points.