Kamala Harris Leads Trump 44% to 42% in Presidential Race After Biden Exits
New Poll Results
Vice President Kamala Harris now leads Republican Donald Trump by 44% to 42%, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll. This follows President Joe Biden’s decision to end his re-election campaign and endorse Harris. This result shows a shift from the previous week when Biden trailed Trump by two points.
Campaign Reactions
Tony Fabrizio, a pollster for Trump’s campaign, downplayed Harris’ lead, attributing it to temporary media coverage. Despite expectations of a post-convention bump for Trump, the poll did not show a significant change.
Voter Perceptions
The poll found 56% of voters see Harris as “mentally sharp,” compared to 49% for Trump. Only 22% felt the same about Biden, who ended his campaign after a poor debate performance against Trump. Among Democrats, 91% view Harris favorably, while 80% still favor Biden. Most Democrats agree the party should unite behind Harris.
Impact of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Including independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the poll, Harris still led Trump, 42% to 38%. Kennedy, favored by 8% of voters, has not yet qualified for the ballot in many states.
Harris’ Campaign and Potential Running Mates
Harris recently campaigned in Wisconsin, a key battleground state. Attention is now on her choice of running mate. Many voters are unfamiliar with potential candidates like Pete Buttigieg, Gavin Newsom, Mark Kelly, and Andy Beshear.
Poll Methodology
The online poll surveyed 1,241 U.S. adults, including 1,018 registered voters.