Vice President Kamala Harris Takes Lead in Recent Polls
In recent national polls, Vice President Kamala Harris is seen to be leading Donald Trump. These polls come as a hint of her increasing momentum as both presidential candidates strive to gain an edge, especially with early voting already in progress in several states.
In an NBC News poll conducted from Sept. 13-17, Harris is leading the former president and Republican nominee by 49% to 44%. This result, however, falls within the margin of error. In a CBS/Ipsos poll conducted entirely after Sept. 18-20, Harris leads Trump by 52% to 48%. It’s worth noting that this poll was carried out entirely after the alleged assassination attempt on Trump at his Florida golf course on Sept. 15.
Harris’ Popularity Rises
According to NBC’s polling, Harris’ overall favorability has risen by 16 percentage points since she entered the presidential race in July. Only 32% of registered voters had a positive view of the vice president at that time, compared to 48% in the latest survey.
The network claims this to be the largest increase any candidate has had in its polling since President George W. Bush’s approval rating rose in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the US.
Although Election Day is set for Nov. 5, early voting has already begun in Virginia, Minnesota, and South Dakota. More states are expected to follow suit throughout October.
The Impact of Harris’ Entry
Harris’ late entry as the Democratic nominee has stirred up what was once a monotonous race. A disastrous debate performance by President Joe Biden in late June led to his exit from the race, with Harris’ entry quickly erasing Trump’s lead.
- However, victory in the presidential election is likely to hinge on the outcome in a limited number of battleground states.
- All seven key swing states in CBS’s polling model are rated as tossups, with Harris holding a slight edge within the margin of error in all but two.
- Both candidates and their allies have been mobilizing voters in key states for the final six weeks of the campaign.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat whose state is among the battlegrounds, stated on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday, “This election is going to be close. We have always known that. And in a state like Michigan or Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, we know that this is going to be a close race.”
Harris Closes in on Economy
On the economy, which is widely viewed as one of her political liabilities, Harris has managed to narrow her deficit in the CBS poll among voters who care most about the issue. Trump leads Harris 53% to 47% in that subset of voters, compared with 56% to 43% in August.
In response to Trump’s unfounded claims about Haitian immigrants consuming cats and dogs, 65% of the respondents said it was to make people fearful of migrants, and 63% believed the stories were likely false.
