WASHINGTON: US Vice President Kamala Harris now leads former president Donald Trump in three crucial battleground states, according to new polls published on Saturday, apparently eroding the advantage Trump has enjoyed there over the past year.
The polls, conducted by The New York Times and Siena College, show Harris leading Trump by a consistent 50 percent to 46 percent margin in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
These three Midwestern states are crucial in the US electoral college system, and their results often determine the overall outcome of the presidential race. The recent polls mark a notable reversal from trends observed over the past year, which had consistently shown Trump either tied with or slightly ahead of Democratic President Joe Biden.
Since Biden’s recent withdrawal from the race and endorsement of Harris, the dynamic in these states appears to have shifted in favor of Harris.
The surveys reveal that while Trump remains favored by voters on key issues such as the economy and immigration, Harris holds a significant advantage on the issue of abortion, with a 24-point lead.
The increase in Harris’s favorability has been attributed to several factors. The announcement of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as Harris’s running mate appears to have galvanized Democratic support.
Since the pairing was announced on Tuesday, Harris and Walz have been vigorously campaigning in swing states, contributing to a noticeable increase in enthusiasm among Democratic voters.
The polls also indicate a substantial boost in Harris’s favorability ratings, with a 10-point increase among registered voters in Pennsylvania over the past month. Voters have rated Harris as more intelligent and possessing a better temperament for governance compared to Trump.
Despite Trump’s attempts to undermine Harris, including questioning her racial identity and launching various attacks, the polls suggest a strong and growing Democratic backing for Harris. Among Democrats, satisfaction with the choice of candidates has surged by 27 points in the three key states since May, contrasting sharply with previous Republican dominance in voter satisfaction.
The surveys, which were conducted between August 5 and 9 with at least 600 voters in each state, reflect a changing sentiment among likely voters as the November 5 election approaches.
