US Vice President Kamala Harris holds a slight lead over her Republican rival Donald Trump in the upcoming presidential election, according to a Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll. The four-point lead is a small but notable improvement for Democrats in the election race, a month after polls showed a tight contest between then-presidential candidate Joe Biden and Trump.
Harris’s advancement is a significant boost for Democrats ahead of their national convention that begins tonight. Harris will officially accept her nomination as the Democratic presidential nominee at the convention.
According to the survey, Harris has received 49 percent of the votes, while Trump has received 45 percent of the votes. If third party candidates are included, Harris has received 47 percent, Trump 44 percent and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has received 5 percent of the votes.
In July, Trump was ahead with 43 percent, Biden was at 42 percent and Kennedy was at 9 percent.
Harris’ lead in the new Post-ABC-Ipsos poll gives Democrats a slight edge, but the poll still points to a tight contest in the November election. The seven swing states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada will open the door to success for both presidential candidates.
But other public polls have indicated that Harris has gained a lead in nearly all key states since Biden dropped out of the race.
The incumbent US president’s sudden exit from the election race was predicated on his poor performance in the first presidential debate against his predecessor Trump. The gaffe-ridden president put up a weak fight against his opponent, leading many Democratic leaders and donors to call for him to withdraw from the election race.
After months of defiance, Biden finally bowed to pressure on July 21 and endorsed his deputy Harris for the Democratic nomination.
Democrats now hope to extend that lead ahead of their convention tonight and an upcoming debate between the two candidates. Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Bill and Hillary Clinton are among the key speakers supporting Harris at the convention.
