ERNA Poll Shows Biden with Narrow Lead in AZ

Press Releases

October 8, 2020

ERNA Poll Shows Biden with Narrow Lead in AZ

Voters, especially Latino voters, say Biden would be better at handling ed issues

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Oct. 8, 2020) — A poll of registered Arizona voters, released today by Democrats for Education Reform partner organization Education Reform Now Advocacy and Latino Decisions, shows former Vice President Biden with a 3-percentage-point lead over President Trump in the swing state. Among Latino voters, support for Biden widens significantly, with 64% supporting the Vice President.

In concerning news for Republicans, 42% of voters—including undecided and leaning voters by more than two to one—would be more likely to vote for the former Vice President if the Senate votes on Justice Ginsberg’s replacement to the U.S. Supreme Court prior to the November election. Voters also continue to favor Democrat Mark Kelly over Republican Martha McSally for Arizona’s open U.S. Senate seat (47% to 42%), and would similarly be 42% more likely to vote for Kelly should the Senate vote on Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination for the Supreme Court. The Senate is expected to begin Coney Barrett’s confirmation hearing on Monday.

When it comes to who will do a “better job” with education, Arizona voters put their faith in Biden (49% to 37%), with a plurality of voters trusting Biden over Trump to:

  • Close opportunity gaps for students (43% of voters, including 51% of Latino voters);
  • Adequately fund schools (44% of voters, including 55% of Latino voters);
  • Increase teacher salaries (46% of voters, including 53% of Latino voters);
  • Recruit and support teachers of color (47% of voters, including 52% of Latino voters); and
  • Make college more affordable (47% of voters, including 55% of Latino voters).

Also noteworthy, despite a pause on annual assessments this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, 67% of likely voters in Arizona support administering summative, annual assessments this coming spring.

You can view toplines from the poll here, as well as the crosstabs here.

The survey was conducted online between Sept. 28 and Oct. 6, 2020, and is comprised of 600 respondents, all registered and likely voters.

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Education Reform Now Advocacy is the 501(c)(4) nonprofit partner of Democrats for Education Reform, a political action committee that seeks to elect leaders who will support policies that benefit all students—particularly Black and Latino students. ERNA’s advocacy group supports DFERs legislative and political advocacy work.