by Opinion Express / 24 July 2024
Vice President Kamala Harris is narrowly leading rival Donald Trump in a national presidential poll released Tuesday, one of the first since President Joe Biden ended his reelection campaign. The Reuters/Ipsos poll shows Harris with a two-point lead over Trump, 44 percent to 42 percent. This poll was conducted over two days following Biden’s announcement on Sunday that he was dropping out of the race and endorsing his vice president.
In the previous week’s poll, both Harris, 59, and Trump, 78, were tied at 44 percent each. Harris, who is now the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, has been garnering significant endorsements, donations, and pledged delegates. However, she trails Trump slightly in another survey released on Tuesday.
Both poll results fall within their respective margins of error. The new surveys come on the heels of the Republican National Convention, where Trump formally accepted the party’s presidential nomination, and Biden’s withdrawal from the race.
Harris's polling performance reflects the enthusiasm among Democratic voters following the shakeup in the race, indicating that she has neutralized the usual post-convention bounce that a nominee receives.
According to a PBS News/NPR/Marist poll conducted on Monday, Trump narrowly leads Harris with 46 percent to her 45 percent among US registered voters, with nine percent undecided. When third-party candidates or independents are included, Trump and Harris are tied at 42 percent, with other candidates trailing far behind.
The PBS News survey also revealed that 87 percent of Americans believe Biden’s decision to drop out was the right move, a sentiment shared across partisan and generational lines. Additionally, 41 percent of respondents believe Biden's withdrawal increases the Democrats' chances of winning in November, while 24 percent think it decreases their odds, and 34 percent feel it makes no difference.
Both surveys were conducted in the aftermath of Trump surviving an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally on July 13.