Kamala Harris Expands Lead Over Donald Trump in Latest Polls

Polls continue to show Vice President Kamala Harris leading former President Donald Trump since she became the official Democratic presidential nominee. The latest Reuters/Ipsos survey reveals that Harris has expanded her lead to five points. According to the poll released on Thursday, Harris is leading with 42% of the vote compared to Trump’s 37%. This represents an increase from her 37%-34% lead in late July. When respondents are pressured to choose, Harris’s lead narrows slightly to 49%-47%.

A YouGov/Economist poll released on Wednesday also reflects Harris’s growing advantage, showing her leading Trump by two points, 45% to 43%, even with third-party candidates, including independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr., included on the ballot. Respondents had additional options to select “other,” say they wouldn’t vote or indicate uncertainty.

On Tuesday, an NPR/PBS News/Marist poll demonstrated Harris leading Trump by three points, with the vice president receiving 48% of the vote compared to Trump’s 45%. Despite this lead, the margin of error of 3.3 points means Trump is still within striking distance. Meanwhile, independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. trails significantly at 5%.

In a Morning Consult poll released on Monday, Harris leads Trump by 48% to 44%. The poll indicates that 5% of registered voters chose “someone else,” and 4% were unsure. This marks the third consecutive week that Morning Consult’s weekly poll has shown Trump trailing Harris.

A CBS News poll, conducted from July 30 to August 2 and released on Sunday, shows Harris leading Trump by a single point nationally. This poll highlights a notable trend: younger and Black voters are more likely to participate, and women believe Harris would better represent their interests. The margin of error for this poll is 2.1 points.

The CBS News poll also indicates that Trump and Harris are tied in the seven key battleground states: Michigan, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Wisconsin, Georgia, North Carolina, and Nevada.

Trump has a lead over Harris in at least eight other polls since President Joe Biden withdrew from the race. However, most polls show Harris reducing Trump’s previous lead over Biden and improving her approval rating since announcing her candidacy.

In a New York Times/Siena poll conducted from July 22 to 24, Trump led Harris by one point (48% to 47%). Similarly, a Wall Street Journal poll from July 23 to 25 found Trump ahead by two points (49% to 47%).

According to RealClearPolitics’ latest polling average, Harris leads Trump by 0.5 points, while FiveThirtyEight’s weighted average shows Harris with a two-point lead.

The New York Times/Siena poll indicates heightened voter engagement following the June 27 debate between Biden and Trump, which was considered disastrous for Biden. About 64% of respondents are now paying close attention to the race, up from 48% before the debate.

In a Bloomberg/Morning Consult poll conducted from July 24 to 28, Harris leads Trump by one point overall in the seven pivotal battleground states. Harris is ahead in Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, and Nevada; Trump leads in Pennsylvania and North Carolina; and they are tied in Georgia.

The Times/Siena survey shows that Democrats are significantly more enthusiastic about Harris compared to Biden. Nearly 80% of Democratic-leaning voters prefer Harris as the nominee, compared to 48% who supported Biden. In contrast to Biden’s mental fitness concerns, 56% of respondents view Harris as mentally sharp and capable of handling challenges, compared to 49% for Trump and 22% for Biden. A 19th News/SurveyMonkey poll revealed that 87% of Americans agreed with Biden’s decision to end his campaign. Additionally, more Americans believe this decision will benefit the Democratic Party (45%) rather than the Republican Party (29%). The same survey shows mixed views on whether Harris’s gender and race will impact her candidacy: 31% think being a woman will help her, while 33% believe it will hurt her, and 34% see no impact. Regarding her being Black and Indian American, 32% see it as beneficial, 24% as harmful, and 41% believe it will have no impact.

Trump campaign pollster Tony Fabrizio anticipates a “short-term” boost in polls for Harris as she enters the race, referring to it as a “Harris Honeymoon.” This expected uptick is anticipated to reenergize Democrats.

Joe Biden withdrew from the race on July 21 after facing internal party pressure following a poor debate performance on June 27. Biden immediately endorsed Harris, who subsequently announced her plans to seek the nomination. The Democratic Party has quickly united behind her, with all Democratic governors and the majority of Democratic Congress members supporting her. Harris has effectively secured the Democratic nomination, with over half of all delegates planning to vote for her in the first week of August. An ABC News/Ipsos poll conducted from July 26 to 27 shows Harris’s favorability rating has risen to 43%, up from 35% in the previous poll taken from July 19 to 20. In contrast, Trump’s favorability rating stands at 36%, and Biden’s at 37%.