NBC: participation in the election of independent candidates will deprive Trump of a margin over Biden
The participation of independent candidates in the presidential election hurts Republican Donald Trump more than Democrat Joe Biden, according to a poll by NBC.
When choosing between the two candidates, former President Trump is ahead of incumbent Biden by two percentage points – 46% versus 44% – but the favourite changes if three other contenders not affiliated with the major parties enter the race.
Biden in that case gains 39 per cent, Trump 37 per cent, Democratic breakaway Robert Kennedy Jr. 13 per cent, Green Party leader Jill Stein 3 per cent and another independent candidate Cornel West 2 per cent.
The poll was conducted 12-16 April with 1,000 registered voters. The survey’s authors estimated the margin of error at plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.