By Ovasa Ogaga, With Agency Report
In a surprising turn of events, Vice President Kamala Harris has edged ahead of former President Donald Trump by a narrow margin in the U.S. presidential race, according to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll.
Avodcate.ng reports that this shift follows President Joe Biden's decision to end his re-election campaign and endorse Harris as his successor.
The latest poll results show Harris leading Trump by 44% to 42% among registered voters, a slight advantage that falls within the survey's 3-percentage-point margin of error. This represents a notable change from last week's poll, where Biden trailed Trump by two points before stepping down from the race.
Conducted immediately after the Republican National Convention, where Trump officially accepted his party's nomination, the poll captures the immediate aftermath of Biden's withdrawal and Harris's ascent to the top of the Democratic ticket. Harris's campaign has confirmed her securing of the Democratic nomination.
Earlier polls showed a close race, with Harris and Trump tied at 44% in mid-July and Trump holding a one-point lead at the beginning of the month. Despite nationwide surveys offering insights into voter preferences, the outcome of the presidential election will ultimately be decided by a few key battleground states within the U.S. Electoral College system.
Trump's campaign pollster, Tony Fabrizio, dismissed the significance of Harris's slight lead, attributing it to a temporary surge in media attention following her nomination. "That bump is likely to start showing itself over the next few days and will last for a while," Fabrizio stated in a memo distributed to the press.
Typically, candidates experience a boost in support following their party's convention, a phenomenon not reflected in Trump's latest poll numbers. Regardless, the poll highlights the strategic rationale behind Biden's decision to exit the race, paving the way for Harris to lead the Democratic charge.
Voters See Harris as Sharper Than Biden, Trump
The poll reveals that 56% of registered voters view Harris, 59, as "mentally sharp and able to deal with challenges," a perception shared by only 49% of respondents about Trump, 78. By contrast, only 22% of voters felt Biden, 81, demonstrated the same mental acuity.
Biden concluded his re-election bid following a debate with Trump, during which he struggled to articulate responses and counter Trump's assertions, some of which were misleading. Despite Biden's favorable rating among 80% of Democratic voters, Harris enjoys even broader support, with 91% of Democrats viewing her positively.
Furthermore, 75% of Democratic voters agree that the party should rally behind Harris, with only 25% suggesting a need for multiple candidates to vie for the nomination. In a hypothetical matchup including independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Harris maintained a lead over Trump, 42% to 38%, outside the margin of error. Kennedy, favored by 8% of those polled, has yet to secure ballot access in several states.
Harris recently campaigned in the pivotal state of Wisconsin, garnering support from influential party figures. As speculation grows regarding her vice-presidential pick, the poll indicates that many voters remain unfamiliar with potential running mates.
The survey found that about 25% of registered voters had never heard of U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who held the highest favorability rating among potential candidates at 37%. Similarly, one-third of respondents were unfamiliar with California Governor Gavin Newsom, despite his comparable favorability. Half of the voters surveyed had not heard of Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, and two-thirds were unaware of Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.
Conducted online, the poll surveyed 1,241 U.S. adults nationwide, including 1,018 registered voters.
