Vice President Kamala Harris has gained a slight edge over Republican Donald Trump, leading by two percentage points in a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll.
This shift follows President Joe Biden’s announcement on Sunday that he was ending his re-election campaign and endorsing Harris as his successor.
Prior to Biden’s exit, the same poll had shown him trailing Trump by two percentage points. The new poll, conducted on Monday and Tuesday, reveals Harris leading Trump 44% to 42%, a difference within the 3-percentage-point margin of error. This contrasts with a July 15-16 poll where Harris and Trump were tied at 44%, and a July 1-2 poll where Trump led by one percentage point.
The poll was conducted after Trump formally accepted the Republican nomination at the Republican National Convention and Biden’s endorsement of Harris. Despite the temporary boost in Harris’ popularity, Trump’s campaign dismissed concerns about the new poll results. Pollster Tony Fabrizio suggested that Harris’ current increase in support is likely due to heightened media attention and expected to be short-lived.
The latest poll highlights the strategic rationale behind Biden’s withdrawal and Harris’s ascension, although actual election outcomes will ultimately depend on key battleground states in the Electoral College.