OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
President Joe Biden’s polling numbers continue to falter as more Americans see him as a fading figure both physically and mentally.
As such, former President Donald Trump has managed to take small leads over the president in two historically blue states—Minnesota and Virginia—according to new polling.
Donald Trump leads Joe Biden by 0.2% in Virginia and 1.6% in Minnesota according to Decision Desk HQ/@thehill‘s latest polling averages. pic.twitter.com/6vf3evh9Uq
— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) June 14, 2024
📊 MINNESOTA GE: McLaughlin and Associates (@realDonaldTrump internal)
🟥 Trump: 47%
🟦 Biden: 45%
⬜ Undecided: 8%
—
🟥 Trump: 41%
🟦 Biden: 37%
🟨 RFK Jr: 7%
🟩 Stein: 2%
🟨 West: 2%
🟪 Oliver: 1%
⬜ Undecided: 11%
—
🟥 Trump: 44%
🟦 Biden: 39%
🟩 Stein: 5%
🟪 Oliver: 1%
⬜… pic.twitter.com/vBzkuAt2tq— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) June 14, 2024
Trump is leading by a fraction of a percent in Virginia, while taking a 1.6 point lead over Biden in Minnesota.
To the former, Trump met this week with Virginia GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin to discuss how the two can help each other flip the state red in November.
“Two sources with knowledge of the meeting told Fox News Digital on Thursday that Trump and Youngkin had discussed recent polling showing Trump neck-and-neck with President Biden in the Old Dominion State, after Biden won the state by 10 points in 2020. The meeting included discussions on how Trump can pull ahead of Biden as the election cycle further intensifies,” the outlet reported.
The pair discussed energy, inflation, and trade, said the report, adding that it was the first meeting between the 45th president and Youngkin, who was elected governor in the state’s 2021 election. Youngkin is Virginia’s first GOP governor since the tenure of Bob McDonnell, who serve from 2010 to 2014.
Virginia has consistently voted for Democratic candidates in each presidential election since 2008, beginning with President Barack Obama’s first campaign. Though Virginia, with its many residents who work in neighboring Washington, D.C., has not been viewed as a battleground state for the 2024 election, recent polls suggest that the race might be closer than previously expected.
But Youngkin believes the state is “in play” for the prospective GOP nominee.
“I think Virginia is in play. Let’s just remind ourselves – Joe Biden won Virginia by 10 points in 2020. I ended up winning by two the next year. What we’ve demonstrated is commonsense conservative policies work, and Virginians appreciate that,” Youngkin said in an interview with radio host and Fox News contributor Guy Benson last month. He repeated that statement in a follow-up interview with Fox News earlier this month, the outlet reported.
“To even be having this conversation today, I think, fully reflects the change in view about not only the strength that Donald Trump would bring to the presidency, but the weakness that Joe Biden has demonstrated,” Youngkin told Fox News’ MacCallum.
“We have economic weakness, we have national security weakness, we have chaos at the border, we have energy weakness, and Americans and Virginians are ready for a change. That’s why I do think states that in 2016 were not in play, I think can be in play this year. It’s still early days, but this strength from President Trump, not only in Virginia but around the country, is clear, and I think Virginians and Americans are ready for change,” he said, adding that he has “fully endorsed” Trump and will campaign with him this fall.
“We’re going to enthusiastically campaign in order to win this thing,” he said.
Last year, there was considerable speculation that Governor Youngkin might launch a White House bid, but he has remained focused on his responsibilities in his home state. According to a source familiar with Youngkin’s meeting with Trump,their discussion did not touch on the possibility of Youngkin being a vice presidential candidate, Fox reported.
