Harris Leads Trump 44% to 42% In US Presidential Race – Polls

Vice President Kamala Harris has taken a slight lead over former President Donald Trump, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted after President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the re-election race. Harris now leads Trump by 44% to 42%, a shift from the previous week’s poll where Biden trailed Trump by two points.

This change follows a series of significant political events: Trump’s formal acceptance of the Republican nomination at the Republican National Convention and Biden’s announcement that he would not seek re-election, endorsing Harris as his successor.

Despite this lead, the race remains tight, with the poll’s 3-percentage-point margin of error indicating a virtual tie. Earlier polls this month showed Trump narrowly ahead, emphasizing the fluctuating dynamics of the race.

Trump’s campaign, represented by pollster Tony Fabrizio, downplayed the significance of Harris’ lead, attributing it to a temporary surge from recent media coverage. However, the latest poll results highlight the rationale behind Biden’s exit and Harris’s ascension as the Democratic nominee.

The poll also revealed perceptions of Harris as more mentally sharp compared to Trump and Biden, with 56% of registered voters agreeing Harris is “mentally sharp and able to deal with challenges.” Comparatively, 49% said the same of Trump, and only 22% for Biden.

Additionally, Harris enjoys strong favorability within her party, with 91% of Democratic voters viewing her positively, compared to 80% for Biden. There is also broad support among Democrats for consolidating behind Harris without further intra-party competition.

In a hypothetical three-way race including independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Harris maintains a lead over Trump at 42% to 38%, with Kennedy receiving 8%.

As Harris campaigns in key battleground states, attention now turns to her potential running mate. Among possible candidates, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has the highest favorability rating, though many voters are still unfamiliar with other contenders like California Governor Gavin Newsom, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll surveyed 1,241 U.S. adults nationwide, including 1,018 registered voters, providing a snapshot of the current political landscape as the race to the 2024 election heats up.