LUNCHTIME POLITICS: Coronavirus Polling Update – Biden Leads Georgia

Your Daily Polling Update for Wednesday, March 18, 2020

TRUMP JOB APPROVAL: AVERAGE 45%
Up 1 from yesterday

RON’S COMMENT: Today’s average is based on four polls, ranging from 43% (NPR/PBS) to 46% (WSJ/NBC, Rasmussen). The fourth poll had it at 44%…. President Trump’s disapproval rating averages 52% today (same as yesterday), which is 7 points higher than his approval rating.

NATIONAL: PRESIDENT
Among voters nationwide

Biden over Trump: +7 (48-41)
 
RON’S COMMENT: Biden is winning 53% of women, 44% of men, 42% of whites, 78% of blacks, 49% of Hispanics, 89% of Democrats, 37% of independents and 6% of Republicans…. Trump wins voters over 65 years old 56-40, whites 48-42 and men 47-44.

GEORGIA PRIMARY
Among Democratic primary voters statewide

Biden over Sanders: +44 (66-22)
 
RON’S COMMENT: Biden has a giant lead in Georgia, with 105 delegates at stake. The primary has been postponed until May 19.

CORONAVIRUS
Among adults nationwide

How concerned are you, if at all, about the coronavirus or CIVID-19 outbreak?
 
Extremely/very concerned: 38%
Somewhat concerned: 42%
Not very/at all: 20%
 
RON’S COMMENT: Americans over 65 are more acutely concerned, but not dramatically so, than younger people. “Extremely/very concerned” among those 65+ is 45% vs. 39% for those 30-64 and 25% for those under 30…. Democrats more concerned: 51% of Democrats vs. 25% of Republicans are “extremely/very concerned.” Excerpts from poll report:

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was the most trusted institution for accurate information about the virus, at 84%. Meanwhile, 70% trust state government, 67% trust their local governments and just 53% trust the federal government.
• 64% said they’d stopped shaking hands, and 93% said now they’re washing their hands with soap for at least 20 seconds.
• 46% had skipped or cancelled attending large gatherings in the past week.
• 82% said there was no difference in their own physical health over the past week (and about half of the rest said their health actually improved). 86% said their access to health care had not changed in the last week, while 9% said it had gotten worse.
• But 22% said their mental health had gotten worse, and 29 percent said their emotional well-being was taking a hit.
• One in five said they’ve been told to work from home, while one in three said they’ve been told to shift to teleconferencing rather than in-person meetings.
• One in four is finding it harder to do their job.
• 44% said it’s been harder to access food or other household needs. One in three tried but failed to buy hand sanitizer, while one in four couldn’t find toilet paper.

SOURCES
Presidential job rating average based on recent nationwide polls.
NATIONAL: PRESIDENT: The Economist/YouGov, March 15-17
GEORGIA: Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 4-14
CORONAVIRUS: Axios/Ipsos, March 13-16

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