Trump supporters are a lot more enthusiastic than Biden backers, poll shows


Despite some heavy criticism over how his administration has handled the novel coronavirus pandemic, polls continue to deliver good news for President Trump.
A new survey from The Washington Post and ABC News shows Trump is neck-and-neck with former Vice President Joe Biden, the favorite to win the Democratic nomination, months ahead of November's general election. Back in February, before the pandemic enveloped the United States emotionally and physically, Biden was leading in the same poll by seven percentage points. That lead has dwindled to two and, when considering the margin of error, places the two candidates in an effective tie.
Trump outpaces Biden among registered voters when it boils down to whom voters trust more to handle the coronavirus outbreak, although, similar to Biden's overall lead, the difference is statistically insignificant. Where they do separate from one another is on their prospective management of health care and the economy. Biden gets better marks in the former category, while Trump has a healthy lead in the latter.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Another possible area of worry for Biden is the apparent lack of enthusiasm among his supporters. Only 24 percent of his supporters say they are "very enthusiastic" about backing him.
The Washington Post-ABC News poll was conducted over the phone between March 22-25, surveying 1,003 adults and 845 registered voters. The margin of error was 3.5 percentage points. Read more at The Washington Post.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
Back to the future: Kids embrace ‘old school’ devices
Under the radar From MP3s to sewing machines
-
Susie Dent picks her favourite books
The Week Recommends The lexicographer and etymologist shares works by Jane Goodall, Noel Streatfeild and Madeleine Pelling
-
Codeword: October 3, 2025
The Week's daily codeword puzzle
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoff
Speed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies
-
YouTube to pay Trump $22M over Jan. 6 expulsion
Speed Read The president accused the company of censorship following the suspension of accounts post-Capitol riot
-
Oregon sues to stop Trump military deployment
Speed Read The president wants to send the National Guard into Portland
-
Trump declares new tariffs on drugs, trucks, furniture
Speed Read He's putting tariffs of 25% on semi trucks, 30% on upholstered furniture, 50% on kitchen and bathroom cabinetry and 100% on certain drugs
-
Amazon reaches ‘historic’ $2.5B Prime settlement
speed read The company allegedly tricked customers into signing up for Prime membership that was then difficult to cancel