In a new Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Thursday, Democrat Kamala Harris holds a 45% to 41% lead over Republican Donald Trump. The poll shows the vice president generating new enthusiasm among voters as the race for the November 5 election heats up.
Harris Gains Momentum
The four-point lead for Harris marks a significant improvement from a late July poll where she held just a one-point advantage over Trump. The latest poll, conducted over eight days and ending Wednesday, shows Harris gaining support, particularly among women and Hispanic voters. She now leads Trump by 49% to 36% among both groups, an increase from her previous leads of 9 and 6 points, respectively, in July.
Trump, meanwhile, continues to lead among white voters and men, although his lead among voters without a college degree has narrowed from 14 points in July to 7 points in the latest survey.
Shifting Political Landscape
The US presidential race has seen significant changes over the summer. On July 21, President Joe Biden, 81, suspended his re-election campaign after a poor debate performance against Trump, leading to widespread calls from Democrats for him to step aside. Since then, Harris has gained ground in national polls, as well as in key swing states, which are crucial in determining the outcome of the election.
In the seven states where the 2020 election was closest—Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona, North Carolina, Michigan, and Nevada—Trump currently leads Harris by 45% to 43%. However, a separate Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll shows Harris either leading or tied with Trump in these critical battleground states.
Rising Enthusiasm Among Voters
The poll also highlights the rising enthusiasm among Democratic voters since Harris entered the race. About 73% of Democratic registered voters said they were more excited about voting in November after Harris’s nomination. Additionally, 52% of Harris supporters indicated they were voting for her because they support her as a candidate, rather than just opposing Trump.
Republicans also showed strong support for Trump, with 64% of his voters saying their choice was motivated by backing him rather than opposing Harris.
On specific issues, voters favoured Trump on managing the US economy, with a 45% to 36% advantage. Meanwhile, Harris had a 47% to 31% lead on abortion policy, a critical issue for many Democrats following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to strike down the national right to abortion.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll surveyed 4,253 US adults, including 3,562 registered voters. Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who suspended his campaign during the poll, had the support of 6% of voters.
(With Inputs from Reuters)
