2020 election: Trump leads Biden by just one point in state he won by 9% in 2016, new Iowa poll shows

‘If the election were held today, Biden has a far better shot than anybody thought,’ says pollster J Ann Selzer

President Donald Trump is leading presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden, by just one point in Iowa, according to a new poll.

The new Des Moines Register-Mediacom Iowa Poll, asked 676 likely voters in the state who they would support if the 2020 presidential election was held today, and has a margin of error of 3.8 percentage points.

Results from the poll, that was released on Monday, show that Mr Trump has 44 per cent of the support in Iowa, compared to Mr Biden’s 43 per cent.

In 2016, Mr Trump won the state of Iowa by nine percentage points, in what was a crucial win on his way to the presidency.

Despite the margin of Mr Trump’s victory in 2016, pollster J Ann Selzer, told the Des Moines Register that Mr Biden stands a better chance in the state than previously predicted.

“I think it’s obviously nothing that Joe Biden should take for granted, because he’s not leading,” she said. “But if the election were held today, Biden has a far better shot than anybody thought.”

The president has seen a decline in support in numerous polls over the last few months, after his responses to the coronavirus pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests, were criticised.

Meanwhile, Mr Biden has seen his support in polls rise in the same period, and according to a Real Clear Politics polling average, he is now leading the president by seven points nationally.

The Trump campaign has spent time and money campaigning in Iowa over the last couple of months, in order to gain back their lead, according to the outlet.

They spent over $400,000 (£318,000) on TV ads in the state in May and early June, while The Lincoln Project, which is advertising against Mr Trump, only spent $150,000 (£119,248).

Mr Trump met with Iowa governor Kim Reynolds in the White House in May, and vice president Mike Pence visited religious leaders in Iowa last month, and will be visiting the state again on Tuesday.

The president’s approval rating has also fallen in Iowa, from a high of 50 per cent in March.

According to the poll, Mr Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 45 per cent, with 52 per cent of Iowa residents disapproving of the job he is doing as president.