Americans fear their country is spiraling out of control following an assassination attempt on Donald Trump, with worries growing that the Nov. 5 election could spark more political violence, a Reuters/Ipsos poll that closed on Tuesday found.
The two-day poll found Republican presidential candidate Trump opening a marginal lead among registered voters - 43% to 41% - over Democratic U.S. President Joe Biden, an advantage that was within the poll's 3 percentage point margin of error, suggesting the attempt on Trump's life had not sparked a major shift in voter sentiment.
But 80% of voters - including similar shares of Democrats and Republicans - said they agreed with a statement that "the country is spiraling out of the control." The poll, which was conducted online, surveyed 1,202 U.S. adults nationwide, including 992 registered voters.
Trump narrowly avoided death on Saturday when a would-be assassin's bullet grazed his ear as he spoke at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Blood trickled across his face and he defiantly pumped his fist in the air, mouthing the words "Fight! Fight! Fight!" as he was rushed offstage. A rally attendee was slain and two others seriously injured.