Poll: Biden up by 9 points in Arizona, tied with Trump in North Carolina

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is ahead by 9 percentage points in Arizona and remains virtually tied with President Donald Trump in North Carolina, according to a new survey of the swing states’ likely voters.

A New York Times/Siena College poll released Friday reports that 49 percent of likely Arizona voters surveyed prefer Biden, while 40 percent favor Trump.

But the poll shows the two major-party candidates separated by only 1 percentage point in North Carolina, with 45 percent of likely voters backing Biden and 44 percent supporting Trump.

In 2016, Trump won Arizona by 4.1 percentage points and won North Carolina by 3.8 percentage points.

The Times/Siena survey also has Biden with a lead of 17 percentage points among likely voters in Maine, 55-38 percent.

Democratic presidential candidates have carried Maine in previous election cycles, but Hillary Clinton won there by only 2.7 percentage points in 2016.

All three states are key to Democratic hopes of retaking the Senate.

Sens. Martha McSally of Arizona, Susan Collins of Maine and Thom Tillis of North Carolina are among the most vulnerable Republican incumbents competing for reelection in November. The Times/Siena survey shows them trailing their Democratic challengers.

Former astronaut Mark Kelly leads McSally by 8 percentage points, 50-42 percent; Maine state House speaker Sara Gideon leads Collins by 5 percentage points, 49-44 percent; and former North Carolina state Sen. Cal Cunningham leads Tillis by 5 percentage points, 42-37 percent.

The New York Times/Siena College poll was conducted Sept. 10-16 and surveyed 653 likely voters in Arizona, 663 likely voters in Maine and 653 likely voters in North Carolina. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 4.1 percentage points in Arizona, 5.1 points in Maine and 4.3 points in North Carolina.