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Trump Pulls Ahead In Presidential Race, Vast Majority Of Voters Plan To Watch Debate, 16% Open To Changing Choice For President, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Voters Support Social Media Warning Label And Banning Smartphones In The Classroom

As President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump prepare to face off in the first presidential debate of the 2024 election cycle, Trump has a slight lead over Biden 49 - 45 percent in a head-to-head matchup, according to a Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pea-ack) University national poll of registered voters released today. This is a small change from Quinnipiac University's May 22 poll when the race was too close to call with Biden receiving 48 percent support and Trump receiving 47 percent support.

In today's poll, Republicans (93 - 4 percent) and independents (51 - 41 percent) back Trump, while Democrats (94 - 4 percent) back Biden.

In a six-way hypothetical race that includes other candidates, Trump leads with 43 percent support, Biden receives 37 percent support, independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. receives 11 percent support, Green Party candidate Jill Stein receives 2 percent support, independent candidate Cornel West receives 2 percent support, and Libertarian Party candidate Chase Oliver receives 1 percent support.

"The political heat rises in this steamy American summer of discord. Trump holds a narrow lead in the head-to-head matchup and is in a slightly better position when all the candidates are included," said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy.

PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

More than 7 in 10 voters (73 percent) think it is likely that they will watch the televised debate between Biden and Trump on Thursday, while 25 percent of voters think it is unlikely that they will watch the debate.

When voters who chose a candidate were asked whether they would be open to the possibility of changing their choice for president based on the debate performances, 16 percent say they are open to the possibility, while 82 percent say they are not open to the possibility.

Thirteen percent of voters supporting Biden, 12 percent of voters supporting Trump, and 32 percent of voters supporting Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. say they are open to the possibility of changing their choice for president based on the debate performances.

"A change of heart or a dramatic shift in loyalty when the lights fade on the first debate? Not likely when it comes to Biden and Trump supporters, but those currently supporting RFK, Jr. are a different story," added Malloy.

THE ISSUES

Voters were asked how important each of eight issues is in their decision of who to support in the election for president...

  • preserving democracy in the United States: 51 percent say extremely important, 31 percent say very important, 12 percent say somewhat important, 2 percent say not so important, and 3 percent say not important at all;
  • the economy: 45 percent say extremely important, 41 percent say very important, 12 percent say somewhat important, 1 percent say not so important, and 1 percent say not important at all;
  • the United States Supreme Court: 38 percent say extremely important, 34 percent say very important, 17 percent say somewhat important, 4 percent say not so important, and 5 percent say not important at all;
  • immigration: 35 percent say extremely important, 33 percent say very important, 22 percent say somewhat important, 5 percent say not so important, and 4 percent say not important at all;
  • abortion: 29 percent say extremely important, 28 percent say very important, 20 percent say somewhat important, 8 percent say not so important, and 12 percent say not important at all;
  • Donald Trump's felony conviction in New York City: 23 percent say extremely important, 16 percent say very important, 11 percent say somewhat important, 10 percent say not so important, and 38 percent say not important at all;
  • climate change: 21 percent say extremely important, 25 percent say very important, 21 percent say somewhat important, 12 percent say not so important, and 20 percent say not important at all;
  • the Israel - Hamas war in Gaza: 18 percent say extremely important, 32 percent say very important, 30 percent say somewhat important, 8 percent say not so important, and 9 percent say not important at all.

TRUMP CONVICTION

A majority of voters (55 percent) think Donald Trump should not be sentenced to prison based on the guilty verdict in the New York City criminal trial against him in connection to charges of falsifying business records, including a hush money payment to an adult film actress, while 40 percent think he should be sentenced to prison.

Republicans (92 - 4 percent) and independents (59 - 36 percent) think Trump should not be sentenced to prison based on this guilty verdict, while Democrats (79 - 17 percent) think he should be sentenced to prison.

Voters were asked how it would impact their vote if Trump were given a prison sentence. Among Trump voters, a majority (59 percent) say if he were given a prison sentence it would not make a difference to their vote, 36 percent say they would be more likely to vote for him, and 4 percent say they would be less likely to vote for him.

HUNTER BIDEN CONVICTION

Fifty-one percent of voters think President Biden's son, Hunter Biden, should be sentenced to prison after a jury found him guilty of lying on a mandatory gun purchase form by saying he was not illegally using or addicted to drugs, while 38 percent think he should not be sentenced to prison.

Republicans (61 - 28 percent) and independents (50 - 39 percent) think Hunter Biden should be sentenced to prison based on this guilty verdict. Among Democrats, 48 percent think he should not be sentenced to prison, while 42 percent think he should be sentenced to prison.

BIDEN JOB APPROVAL

Voters give President Biden a negative 38 - 58 percent job approval rating, compared to a negative 39 - 56 percent job approval rating in Quinnipiac University's May 22 poll.

SUPREME COURT

Voters disapprove 54 - 37 percent of the way the United States Supreme Court is handling its job.

Democrats (84 - 9 percent) and independents (53 - 42 percent) disapprove of the way the High Court is handling its job, while Republicans (62 - 27 percent) approve.

Sixty-three percent of voters think that the Supreme Court is mainly motivated by politics, while 32 percent think that the Supreme Court is mainly motivated by the law.

Voters 70 - 25 percent support limiting the number of years a Supreme Court Justice can serve on the Supreme Court.

SOCIAL MEDIA & SMARTPHONES

Voters 72 - 22 percent support the United States surgeon general's proposal to put a warning label on social media, similar to warnings on tobacco and alcohol, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents. There is support among all listed groups, with the biggest support across age groups coming from the youngest voters, 18 - 34 years old, who are generally the most avid users of social media.

A majority of voters (61 percent) support their state banning students from using smartphones during the school day, while 30 percent oppose it.

Voters 18 - 34 years old (55 - 38 percent) oppose the ban.

"There is broad support for waving a red warning flag over social media in general, and when it comes to smartphones being sequestered during classroom hours, it's two-to-one in favor...that's until you ask the youngest voters," added Malloy.

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATE CHANGE

Nearly 6 in 10 voters (59 percent) think the extreme weather events in the United States over the past few years are related to climate change, while 36 percent do not think they are related to climate change.

Just over one-third of voters (36 percent) are worried that they or someone in their family might be affected by an extreme weather event, while 63 percent say they are not worried about that.

1,405 self-identified registered voters nationwide were surveyed from June 20th - 24th with a margin of error of +/- 2.6 percentage points.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Doug Schwartz, Ph.D. since 1994, conducts independent, non-partisan national and state polls on politics and issues. Surveys adhere to industry best practices and are based on random samples of adults using random digit dialing with live interviewers calling landlines and cell phones.

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Poll Questions