Washington, 5 August 2024 (TDI): A new poll confirmed Sunday that Kamala Harris has drawn level with Donald Trump, transforming a White House race that the Republican had been increasingly confident he was going to win.
As the November 5 election rapidly approaches, Harris has erased the growing lead that Donald Trump was building before President Joe Biden dropped his reelection bid.
According to the CBS News/YouGov poll, Harris has a one percent advantage on Trump countrywide — compared to latter’s previous five point edge on Biden.
In the swing states that decide the Electoral College contest in US elections, both candidates are equal.
These are considered good numbers for a Democratic candidate who parachuted into the race only in July, when Biden bowed to mounting concerns over his mental acuity and age concerns.
But Harris, who is Biden’s vice president and the first Black and South Asian female ever in the role, is in a sprint to define herself to voters before Trump does.
A big moment in that process will be when she announces her choice for running mate in a historic bid to become America’s first woman president.
The poll, which echoes numerous other surveys indicating rapid gains by Harris, shows that Donald Trump is still favored by voters on the hot issue of the economy.
Only 25% said they expected to be better off financially if Harris wins, compared to 45% who said so about Trump.
However, when it comes to trust in the candidates’ temperament, the poll shows voters prefer Harris to Trump, a convicted felon who has made a career out of publicly insulting those who oppose him — including while president.
The issue of mental health, which used to bedevil Biden, is now a liability for 78-year-old Donald Trump, the poll found. Only 51 percent % of respondents thought he is mentally capable for the presidency, compared to 64% for Harris.
