F&M Stories
F&M Poll: Biden Lead Over Trump Expands with Third-Party Candidate
Democratic President Joe Biden holds a narrow lead, 43% to 42%, over the Republican Party鈥檚 presumptive nominee, Donald Trump, but Biden鈥檚 advantage expands from one to five points, 42% to 37%, when third-party candidates are included.
These recent findings in the Franklin & Marshall College Poll, conducted Jan. 17-28 at the College鈥檚 Center for Opinion Research, were gathered from 1,006 registered Pennsylvania voters鈥�450 Democrats, 414 Republicans and 142 independents.
According to the poll, 32% of Keystone State voters believe Biden is doing an 鈥渆xcellent鈥� or 鈥済ood鈥� job, but his approval is lower than Trump鈥檚 and Barack Obama鈥檚 at the same point in their presidencies.
Trump faces trials this year on 91 federal and state criminal charges 鈥� from election subversion to stealing classified documents. Some political scientists view the election as historically not normal, but Berwood Yost, director of the poll, shares another perspective.
鈥淲hat makes this a normal election is the voters are going to judge the incumbent on his record and ability, then look at his challenger to determine whether he鈥檚 a viable candidate,鈥� Yost said.
Visit for the complete poll results and analysis of voters鈥� sentiments on the latest issues
and job approval ratings of elected officials.
"More voters believe President Biden has better judgment, is more trustworthy, and
is closer to their views on values issues than Mr. Trump, while more voters believe
Mr. Trump is better able to handle the economy and serve as commander-in-chief. "
Related Articles
May 6, 2026
鈥楩&M Will Change How You See the World,鈥� Senior Says
For Anna Purchase 鈥�26, Franklin & Marshall did more than provide an education. It shaped her worldview. 鈥淵ou get four years to try and enter in as a different person and rebuild the way you see the world,鈥� she said. 鈥淔&M is going to change how you see the world, but you have a say in that.鈥�
April 17, 2026
鈥楾his is What Community Feels Like鈥�
At the Writers House, Veronique Messanh 鈥�26 found more than a job鈥攕he found a home. 鈥淚 remember thinking: 鈥楾his is what community feels like,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淚 will forever be grateful for having a community that sees me, hears me, and encourages me!鈥�
March 31, 2026
Thomas Reilly 鈥�27 Leads Campus-Community Effort to Support Childhood Cancer Research
Thomas Reilly 鈥�27 has made volunteer work and community service a central part of his F&M experience鈥攁nd recently helped organize an event that raised $30,000 for childhood cancer research. The government major from Haddonfield, N.J. is part of the F&M chapter of St. Baldrick鈥檚, a foundation that raises money to fund research into childhood cancer treatment.