'Landslide' for Biden? A look at 40 years of inaccurate presidential polls
By Joe Concha, opinion contributor — 06/14/19 01:15 PM EDT
Polls are meant to gauge the pulse of the American people. Relevant, timely polls on current events help provide a snapshot in time — and may make news. Others, particularly those attempting to look months into the future, are less legitimate news and more insignificant conversation pieces.
So, when news outlets this week touted one poll showing 2020 Democratic frontrunner Joe Biden heading to a "landslide" victory, it was hard not to chuckle at the laziness of it all.
The Quinnipiac poll shows Biden up 53-40 on President Trump. Amplifying this as something significant fails to look at precedent in past presidential prognostications that tell us — practically scream — to take all of this with a grain of salt.
A look back to 1980 is a prime example. Did you know that Jimmy Carter once held a 23-point lead over GOP challenger Ronald Reagan in January 1980? This was a time when the economy was in a deep recession while Americans were being held hostage by Iran. Yet, the incumbent held a 59-36 lead over the former California governor and actor in Lou Harris's reputable poll at that time.
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https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/448602-landslide-for-biden-a-look-at-40-years-of-inaccurate-presidential-polls
