Former Vice-President Joe Biden has formally clinched the 2020 Democratic nomination and will face President Donald Trump in the November elections. Biden secured the nomination after seven states and the District of Columbia held presidential primaries on Tuesday. He now has 1,993 delegates while the contest is still open in eight states and three U.S. territories.
Biden said it was an honor to compete alongside one of the most talented groups of Democratic candidates and that they were headed towards the elections as a "united party". Biden's nomination comes at a time when Trump faces massive challenges on multiple fronts: the devastation caused by coronavirus pandemic, record-high rate of unemployment and civil unrest over the brutal killing of George Floyd.
Biden said America is facing a difficult time and that that Trump's "angry, divisive politics is no answer". He added that the country needs a leadership that can unite, "bring us together", Associated Press reported.
Five months ahead of the elections, Biden is ahead of Trump in major national polls. In a poll conducted on June 2 to 3 by the Marist Poll, NPR and PBS, Biden was ahead of Trump by seven points, with 50 percent respondents favoring Biden compared to Trump's 43 percent. A similar situation was reflected in the Emerson Poll conducted between from June 2-3, in which Biden was ahead of Trump by six points.
A recent CNN poll showed 51 percent of the voters backed Biden, while 41 percent backed Trump. A June IBD/TIPP Poll showed Biden leading over Trump by 45 percent-42 percent. A Monmouth poll conducted between May 28-June 1 showed Biden's lead over Trump by 11 points. While 52 percent of registered voters supported Biden, Trump was backed by 41 percent voters.
A CNBC poll conducted between May 29 to May 31 showed Biden had a 7-point lead over Trump. While he had the backing of 48 percent of the registered voters, Trump was supported by 41 percent. The same lead was reflected in an Economist/You Gov poll which showed 47 percent supported Biden, against Trump's 40 percent.
A Washington Post and ABC News poll conducted between May 25 to 25 showed Biden ahead of Trump by 10 points, with 53 percent in support of Biden, against Trump's 43 percent. Even a Fox News poll showed an eight-point gap between the two contenders. While 48 percent backed Biden, Trump was supported by 40 percent.
In a statement on Friday, Biden said that he will devote every day till November 3 "to earn the votes of Americans", so that "we can win the battle for the soul of this nation". A member in the U.S. Senate for 36 years, he was also as the Vice President in the Obama administration from 2009-2017.
