With just three months left for the US presidential election, Democratic candidate Kamala Harris has taken a lead over her Republican counterpart Donald Trump in three crucial states – Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan.
According to the latest poll conducted by The New York Times and Siena College between August 5 and August 9, Harris leads Trump by four percentage points with 50% to 46% support among 1,973 registered voters in the three states.
These surveys were conducted the week Kamala Harris announced Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. The margin of sampling error was plus or minus 4.8 percentage points in Michigan, plus or minus 4.2 points in Pennsylvania, and plus or minus 4.3 points in Wisconsin.
This marks a change from previous surveys, which showed Donald Trump tied or ahead of former Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
The US vice president has taken the lead in these crucial battleground states, as Biden has backed her amid concerns about her cognitive well-being and competency to govern. Much can change before the November 5 election, but Democrats are excited about Kamala Harris’ candidacy, relieved after President Biden withdrew.
Ms. Harris’s popularity has increased significantly, rising by 10 points in Pennsylvania, and independent voters see her as more intelligent and more temperamentally suited to governing.
The US Electoral College voting system sees Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan as crucial for Mr Harris to remain in the White House. Despite Republican attacks, Democrats strongly support Harris, with voter satisfaction in the three Midwestern states rising by 27 points since May.
However, Democrats need to better articulate Harris’s vision for the country. A previous poll found that 60% of registered voters think Trump has a clear vision, compared with 53% for Ms Harris.
Trump still leads on the economy and immigration. However, Harris has a 24-point lead on abortion, which Democrats hope will sway voters in key states like Arizona and Wisconsin.
Harris is viewed more favorably on democracy than Mr. Trump, who faces legal charges related to the 2020 presidential election and the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.
