NBC Poll: Voter Interest Sinking, Negative Views on Biden, Trump

Voters who say they have a high interest in this year’s election is at a near 20-year low so far — with majorities holding negative views of both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, a new poll shows.

The NBC News survey also shows Biden narrowing Trump’s lead to 2 points in a head-to-head contest.

Here’s a breakdown: 

• Trump has a 2-point edge over Biden in a head-to-head contest, Biden leads Trump by 2 points in a five-way ballot including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other third-party candidates.
• 64% of registered voters say they have a high level of interest in November’s election.
• 70% of self-identified Republicans say they have high interest in the upcoming election; 65% of Democrats say the same, with independents at 48%.
• Trump leads Biden 46% to 44% in a head-to-head matchup.
• 52% of voters have an unfavorable view of Biden; 53% share the same view of Trump.
• Trump’s biggest advantages are among men (53% to 37%), white voters (54% to 37%) and white voters without college degrees (65% to 25%). Biden’s top advantages are among Black voters (71% to 13%), women (50% to 39%) and Latinos (49% to 39%).
• 42% of registered voters approving of Biden’s overall job performance; 56% disapprove.
• 39% of voters say they approve of Biden’s handling of the economy; 28% approve of his handling of border security and immigration; and 27% approve of his handling of the Israel-Hamas war.
• Biden holds a 15-point advantage over Trump on dealing with the issue of abortion, and is ahead by 9 points on having the ability to bring the country together.
• Trump leads by 4 percentage points on having the ability to handle a crisis, by 7 points on having a strong record of accomplishments, by 11 points on being competent and effective, by 19 points on having the necessary mental and physical health to be president, and by 22 points on dealing with inflation and the cost of living.
•  Inflation and the cost of living tops the list of issues in the poll, with 23% of voters saying they’re the most important issue facing the country, followed by immigration and the border at 22%, threats to democracy at 16%, jobs and the economy at 11%, and abortion and healthcare at 6%.
• 63% of voters say their family’s income is falling behind the cost of living.
• 53% of voters say the country’s economy has not improved;  33% say it has improved and Biden deserves some credit for it; and 8% agree the economy has improved but don’t give Biden credit for it.
• 50% say Trump is being held to the same standard as anyone else when it comes to his legal challenges; 43% say he’s being unfairly targeted in these trials. 

The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 3.10 percentage points.

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