Trump up 3% over Biden as voters say things 'going badly' in U.S.: poll

Former President Donald Trump leads President Joe Biden by 3% in a recent survey that saw voters express higher hopes for world peace and a better economy should the Republican reclaim the White House.

In a one-on-one matchup, Trump earned the support of 51% of likely voters in a recent CBS/YouGov survey, compared to Biden's 48%. 

Driving much of that sentiment may be voter perceptions of the pair's economic and foreign policies. Whereas 45% indicated they thought Trump's policies would make them better off, only 18% said the same of Biden. Thirty-two percent thought Trump's plans would hurt their economic situation while 48% said Biden would adversely impact them in that respect.

Curiously, voter perceptions of which groups would benefit the most under either candidate were in loose alignment. Fifty-one percent said Biden and Trump's policies would favor the wealthy, while 29% said Biden would favor the middle and working classes, compared to 25% who said the same for Trump. Twenty-four percent though Trump's policies would favor everyone the same, while 20% said the same of Biden's plans.

Foreign policy questions revealed a significant variation in the perceived likeliness of war under either candidate. Forty-nine percent said a Biden victory would increase the chance of U.S. participation in an armed conflict, while 39% said the same of a Trump win. A further 43% said Trump would decrease the likeliness of an American war, while 23% said that of Biden. Twenty-eight percent said a Biden victory would have no impact while 18% shared that sentiment in the event of a Trump win.

Trump enjoyed a clear lead among voters who said his policies would "increase peace & stability" in the world, with 47% saying he would reduce conflict compared to 36% who said he would decrease peace and stability and 17% who said a second Trump administration would have no impact.

Forty-three percent said Biden would decrease peace and stability while 31% said he would increase it and 26% said he would have no effect on the matter.

A further 73% said things are "going badly" in America, marking the highest share of respondents who answered such in that poll this year.

Conducted Oct. 30-Nov. 3, the survey questioned 2,636 U.S. adults and has a margin of error of +/- 2.6%.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.