New poll finds Kamala Harris four points ahead of Donald Trump in three key states
Crucial states like Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan are now leaning Democratic, according to a NYT/Siena poll.
Kamala Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, at a rally in Wisconsin on Wednesday - Photo Reproduction / Anadolu / Getty Images
In a surprising turn of events in the 2024 American election races, a new poll reveals that current Vice President Kamala Harris is ahead of former President Donald Trump in three crucial states. This advance signals a significant change in the strength of the Democratic Party just three months before the elections. Harris is four percentage points ahead of Trump in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan, 50% to 46%, according to new polls by the New York Times and Siena College, which surveyed nearly 2,000 likely voters in those states.
This difference is particularly notable considering the historical competitiveness of these states in past elections. These states are widely considered crucial to winning the general election due to their significant number of Electoral College votes.
Search
The polls were conducted between August 5 and 9, the same week that Harris announced Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota and former high school teacher, as her running mate in the November election. This announcement is the clearest indication of crucial battleground states since Joe Biden withdrew from the race and switched to supporting Harris, amid growing concerns about her cognitive well-being and the 81-year-old's ability to a second term. The results come after months of polls that showed Biden tied or slightly behind Trump.
According to registered voters interviewed, Harris is considered more intelligent, honest and temperamentally suited to running the country compared to Trump. The survey, released this Saturday (10), by the New York Times, should give a boost to the Democrats. Harris and Walz continue to travel the country in their first week of campaigning together, holding a series of events in swing states that will likely influence the outcome of the election. The candidates held a rally in Las Vegas, Nevada, a state the Biden-Harris ticket won by more than two percentage points in 2020.
While it's a snapshot measure, Democrats will likely be encouraged to learn that 60% of independent voters surveyed are satisfied with their choice of presidential candidates, up from 45% in May. This growth appears to be driven primarily by voters' changing perception of Kamala Harris, who has received praise for her positivity and forward-looking speeches.
Recently, the candidates held a rally in Las Vegas, Nevada, a state that the Biden-Harris ticket won by more than two percentage points in 2020. Additionally, in Pennsylvania, Harris' favorability rating among registered voters rose 10 points since last month, according to the Times/Siena survey.
Potential Impact
If the numbers hold true in the coming weeks, Harris' advantage in key states could significantly alter Trump's campaign strategy and influence how both candidates position themselves for the remainder of the race. How each campaign responds to these challenges will be crucial in determining how the election plays out. The latest poll results are likely to further anger Trump, whose recent campaign events have been largely marked by frustration and apparent disbelief at the rapidly changing political landscape since choosing JD Vance, an Ohio senator and former venture capitalist, as his presidential candidate. his vice-president at the Republican national convention, which took place less than a month ago.
