President Biden and former President Donald Trump are <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/05/09/us-news/trump-team-says-deep-blue-minnesota-virginia-falling-into-play-despite-history/">dead even in the state of Virginia</a>, which hasn’t backed a Republican for the White House in two decades, according to a stunning survey released Wednesday. 

Trump, 77, and Biden, 81, each receive 42% support from likely voters in the commonwealth, according to the head-to-head poll from Roanoke College’s Institute for Policy and Opinion Research.

Another 14% said they would vote for other candidates and the remaining 2% said they were undecided.

When three other third-party candidates were polled, Biden edged ahead of Trump by 40% to 38%. Independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. received 8% support, Green Party leader Jill Stein received 3%, and independent Cornel West received 1% support. 

Another 8% said they would vote for “other” candidates in the five-way matchup and 2% said they were undecided.

Virginia is widely seen to be a safe state for Biden and has been sparsely polled as a result. Previous Roanoke College polls<a href="https://www.roanoke.edu/news/rc_poll_politics_feb_2024"> from February</a> and <a href="https://www.roanoke.edu/news/rc_poll_politics_nov_2023">December 2023</a> showed Biden narrowly ahead of Trump in a state the Democrat won by 10 percentage points four years ago.

<div class="nyp-slideshow-modal-image__wrapper"><a href="#" aria-controls="nyp-slideshow-modal" data-slideshow-modal="trigger" title="Open a slideshow of all 3 article images." aria-label="Open a slideshow of all 3 article images." data-slideshow-slide-number="1" data-slideshow-slides-total="3"><img style="aspect-ratio:1.5;display:block" decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="100%" height="auto" src="https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?w=1024" alt="Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event at Crotona Park in the South Bronx on Thursday, May 23, 2024 in New York City." class="wp-image-32253203" srcset="https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 3030w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=300,200&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 300w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=768,512&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 768w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=1024,683&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=1536,1024&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1536w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=2048,1365&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 2048w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=878,585&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 878w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=744,496&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 744w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=720,480&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 720w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=576,384&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 576w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=457,305&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 457w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=440,293&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 440w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=424,282&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 424w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=389,260&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 389w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=360,240&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 360w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=340,227&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 340w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=320,213&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 320w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=314,209&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 314w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=306,204&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 306w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=280,187&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 280w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=260,174&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 260w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=246,164&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 246w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=234,156&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 234w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=195,130&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 195w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=180,120&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 180w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=171,114&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 171w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=160,107&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 160w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=144,96&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 144w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=107,71&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 107w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=93,62&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 93w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=84,56&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 84w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=200,133&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 200w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=231,154&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 231w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=322,215&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 322w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=600,400&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 600w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=662,441&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 662w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=87,58&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 87w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=150,100&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 150w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/donald-trump-speaks-campaign-event-82570924_1c2417.jpg?resize=50,33&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 50w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"><span class="nyp-slideshow-modal-image__icon" aria-hidden="true"> <span class="nyp-slideshow-modal-image__icon-text"> <span data-slideshow-modal="count">3</span> </span> </span></a></div><figcaption>Trump’s team has said they see Virginia as “in play” for November. <span class="credit">GC Images</span></figcaption>

Between 1952 and 2004, Virginia voters backed the Republican nominee in every presidential election but one — 1964, when Democrat Lyndon Johnson defeated Republican Barry Goldwater in a landslide. 

Since Barack Obama’s election in 2008, however, no GOP nominee has taken the commonwealth’s 13 electoral votes, with Mitt Romney coming closest to putting Virginia in the Republican column in 2012.

However, Trump’s team has repeatedly <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/05/09/us-news/trump-team-says-deep-blue-minnesota-virginia-falling-into-play-despite-history/">stressed they see Virginia as “in play”</a> for November, pointing to poll numbers showing a statistical tie or Biden narrowly ahead.

<div class="nyp-slideshow-modal-image__wrapper"><a href="#" aria-controls="nyp-slideshow-modal" data-slideshow-modal="trigger" title="Open a slideshow of all 3 article images." aria-label="Open a slideshow of all 3 article images." data-slideshow-slide-number="2" data-slideshow-slides-total="3"><img style="aspect-ratio:1.4389830508475;display:block" decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="100%" height="auto" src="https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/u-s-president-joe-biden-82828127.jpg?w=1024" alt="President Joe Biden speaks during the National Memorial Day Wreath-Laying and Observance Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., May 27, 2024." class="wp-image-32253204" srcset="https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/u-s-president-joe-biden-82828127.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 5500w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/u-s-president-joe-biden-82828127.jpg?resize=300,209&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 300w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/u-s-president-joe-biden-82828127.jpg?resize=768,534&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 768w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/u-s-president-joe-biden-82828127.jpg?resize=1024,712&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/u-s-president-joe-biden-82828127.jpg?resize=1536,1068&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1536w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/u-s-president-joe-biden-82828127.jpg?resize=2048,1424&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 2048w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/u-s-president-joe-biden-82828127.jpg?resize=847,589&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 847w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/u-s-president-joe-biden-82828127.jpg?resize=714,496&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 714w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/u-s-president-joe-biden-82828127.jpg?resize=576,400&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 576w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/u-s-president-joe-biden-82828127.jpg?resize=440,306&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 440w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/u-s-president-joe-biden-82828127.jpg?resize=406,282&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 406w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/u-s-president-joe-biden-82828127.jpg?resize=180,125&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 180w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/u-s-president-joe-biden-82828127.jpg?resize=102,71&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 102w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/u-s-president-joe-biden-82828127.jpg?resize=200,139&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 200w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/u-s-president-joe-biden-82828127.jpg?resize=231,161&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 231w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/u-s-president-joe-biden-82828127.jpg?resize=322,224&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 322w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/u-s-president-joe-biden-82828127.jpg?resize=634,441&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 634w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/u-s-president-joe-biden-82828127.jpg?resize=83,58&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 83w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/u-s-president-joe-biden-82828127.jpg?resize=224,156&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 224w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/u-s-president-joe-biden-82828127.jpg?resize=150,104&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 150w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/u-s-president-joe-biden-82828127.jpg?resize=50,35&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 50w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"><span class="nyp-slideshow-modal-image__icon" aria-hidden="true"> <span class="nyp-slideshow-modal-image__icon-text"> <span data-slideshow-modal="count">3</span> </span> </span></a></div><figcaption>Biden won Virginia by over 10% in 2020, but has seen his lead dwindle in polls. <span class="credit">REUTERS</span></figcaption>

While the 45th president lost Virginia by double-digits four years ago, he came within 5.3 percentage points of shocking Hillary Clinton in 2016. 

“These results suggest that Virginia could be ‘in play’ in November,” agreed Dr. Harry Wilson, senior political analyst for IPOR and Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Roanoke College.

“But five months is an eternity in politics. This tie or two-point lead seems dramatic, but they are within the margin of error of the results of the February 2024 and November 2023 Roanoke College Polls. Still, it seems that Trump is narrowing Biden’s lead, which has all but disappeared.” &nbsp;

<div class="nyp-slideshow-modal-image__wrapper"><a href="#" aria-controls="nyp-slideshow-modal" data-slideshow-modal="trigger" title="Open a slideshow of all 3 article images." aria-label="Open a slideshow of all 3 article images." data-slideshow-slide-number="3" data-slideshow-slides-total="3"><img style="aspect-ratio:1.5728813559322;display:block" decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="100%" height="auto" src="https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/former-u-s-president-donald-82864433.jpg?w=1024" alt="Donald Trump leaves Trump Tower on May 29, 2024 in New York City. " class="wp-image-32253207" srcset="https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/former-u-s-president-donald-82864433.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 5208w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/former-u-s-president-donald-82864433.jpg?resize=300,191&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 300w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/former-u-s-president-donald-82864433.jpg?resize=768,488&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 768w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/former-u-s-president-donald-82864433.jpg?resize=1024,651&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/former-u-s-president-donald-82864433.jpg?resize=1536,976&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 1536w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/former-u-s-president-donald-82864433.jpg?resize=2048,1302&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 2048w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/former-u-s-president-donald-82864433.jpg?resize=878,558&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 878w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/former-u-s-president-donald-82864433.jpg?resize=744,473&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 744w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/former-u-s-president-donald-82864433.jpg?resize=576,366&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 576w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/former-u-s-president-donald-82864433.jpg?resize=440,280&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 440w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/former-u-s-president-donald-82864433.jpg?resize=424,269&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 424w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/former-u-s-president-donald-82864433.jpg?resize=180,114&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 180w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/former-u-s-president-donald-82864433.jpg?resize=107,68&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 107w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/former-u-s-president-donald-82864433.jpg?resize=200,127&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 200w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/former-u-s-president-donald-82864433.jpg?resize=231,147&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 231w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/former-u-s-president-donald-82864433.jpg?resize=322,205&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 322w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/former-u-s-president-donald-82864433.jpg?resize=664,422&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 664w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/former-u-s-president-donald-82864433.jpg?resize=87,55&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 87w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/former-u-s-president-donald-82864433.jpg?resize=234,149&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 234w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/former-u-s-president-donald-82864433.jpg?resize=150,95&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 150w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/former-u-s-president-donald-82864433.jpg?resize=50,32&amp;quality=75&amp;strip=all 50w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"><span class="nyp-slideshow-modal-image__icon" aria-hidden="true"> <span class="nyp-slideshow-modal-image__icon-text"> <span data-slideshow-modal="count">3</span> </span> </span></a></div><figcaption>Trump would be the first Republican to win Virginia in 20 years if he defeats Biden in the state. <span class="credit">GC Images</span></figcaption>

As in most other polls, the economy was rated as the No. 1 issue for voters (44%), with immigration coming in second at 14% and abortion in third at 13%.

The survey also showed that the race is still very volatile, with only 64% of respondents saying they are very certain of their choice, while 28% say they are somewhat certain.

The Roanoke College poll was conducted May 12-21 among 711 Virginia residents. The survey has a margin of error of 4.24%.

Meanwhile, an <a href="https://d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/econTabReport_5ePXwWM.pdf">Economist/ YouGov poll</a> released Wednesday showed Trump narrowly leading Biden in a five-way national survey.

Trump came in at 41% support and Biden got 40% support, while Kennedy got 4% and Stein and West got 1% each. 

President Biden and former President Donald Trump are dead even in the state of Virginia, which hasn’t backed a Republican for the White House in two decades, according to a stunning survey r…{ai:summary}<p>Tight race in Virginia between Trump and Biden in upcoming election, with both at 42%. Virginia typically Democrat, Trump looking to change that. Economy top issue for voters. Results suggest Virginia may be in play for November. #politics</p>