PA Presidential Polls: Biden's Lead Over Trump Widest Since July

PENNSYLVANIA — The 2020 election season is intensifying, and eyes across the nation are remaining focused on Pennsylvania, a key battleground state which could help determine the next president of the United States.

The Keystone State was decided by just over 44,000 votes in 2016, and it was one of a series of Rust Belt victories widely seen as the turning points in President Trump's ultimate victory over Hillary Clinton. It's been a state of constant campaigning for both Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, a native of Scranton who made his campaign headquarters in Philadelphia. Republicans have focused on canvassing and registering new voters in the state, a strategy which has netted them more than twice as many new voters as Democrats in Pennsylvania since June.

Ever since he entered the Democratic primaries, polls have shown Biden enjoying significant leads over Trump, both in Pennsylvania and nationally.

After Trump narrowed former Biden's lead in August and September, Biden has again gained an edge in the most recent data. His lead as of Wednesday, of about seven points, is the largest it's been since late July, when he briefly enjoyed an eight point lead.

Skeptics will point to the polls that placed Clinton ahead of Trump heading into Election Day four years ago. But Clinton's lead, per an average of RealClearPolitics polls, was only 2.1 points in Nov. 2016. She did enjoy a 10 to 11 point lead that summer before Trump narrowed the gap.

Here are eight polls used by RealClearPolitics to calculate Biden's present lead. Several of the polls ran before the first presidential debate, and before President Trump tested positive for coronavirus.

The data below includes the name of the pollster, the dates on which the poll ran, and who is leading the poll:

• Trafalgar: Oct. 10 to Oct. 12, Biden 47, Trump 45
• Reuters: Oct. 6 to Oct. 11, Biden 51, Trump 44
• Emerson: Oct. 4 to Oct. 5, Biden 50, Trump 45
• CNBC: Oct. 2 to Oct 4, Biden 50, Trump 46
• Quinnipiac: Oct. 1 to Oct. 5, Biden 54, Trump 41
• Monmouth: Sept. 30 to Oct. 4, Biden 54, Trump 43
• CBS News: Sept. 30 to Oct. 2, Biden 51, Trump 44
• New York Times/Siena: Sept. 30 to Oct. 2: Biden 49, Trump 42

Nationally, Biden's lead has inched back up again to 9.8 points, after Trump narrowed the margin to around 7 last month.

Check out some of the top recent election-related news in Pennsylvania:

• 'Suburban Women, Will You Please Like Me?' Trump Asks At PA Rally
• After Pushback, Controversial PA Election Commission Tabled
• Woman Irked By Trump Display Responds With Pro-Democrat Billboard
• Here's How To Vote Early By Mail Ballot In Pennsylvania

Catch up with all the Pennsylvania election headlines here.