“Kamala Moves the Needle”: Harris Takes Lead Over Trump in Key States
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Just two weeks after President Joe Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency, Harris is now leading former President Donald Trump in several key battleground states, Bloomberg reported Tuesday. According to the latest poll conducted by Bloomberg in collaboration with Morning Consult, Harris has “wiped out Donald Trump’s lead across seven battleground states.”
The poll shows Harris leading Trump 48 to 47 percent across the seven swing states. She is ahead, though within the margin of error, in Arizona (49-47 percent), Nevada (47-45 percent), and Wisconsin (49-47 percent), and tied with Trump in Georgia (47-47 percent). Notably, Biden was not leading in Georgia, Arizona, or Nevada when he exited the race.
Harris holds a solid lead in Michigan, with a 53 to 42 percent advantage over Trump. However, Trump remains ahead in the critical swing state of Pennsylvania (50 to 46 percent) and in North Carolina (48 to 46 percent).
“Since last month’s survey, our swing state tracking revealed many self-identified Democrats coming home to support their party’s candidate,” said Alexander Podkul, Morning Consult’s senior director of research. “Harris’ switch to the top of the ticket appears to have excited her base.”
Bloomberg noted that while “the numbers suggest Harris has a shot at reassembling the voter coalition that propelled President Barack Obama to the White House” in 2008, “the race remains a toss-up.”
The news outlet also emphasized Harris’ newness to the race and highlighted that the poll “shows newfound enthusiasm for the Democratic ticket under the 59-year-old Harris. The switch-up in candidates looks set to boost the turnout in swing states, where there’s evidence that key constituencies for the party have been energized by her candidacy.”
Georgia voter Robert Banks told Bloomberg, “Kamala moves the needle. People are excited.” Harris’s recent surge in the polls indicates a potential shift in the 2024 election landscape. Her candidacy appears to have reinvigorated the Democratic base, suggesting that she may be able to reassemble the diverse voter coalition that was crucial to Obama’s victories. As the race progresses, Harris will need to maintain this momentum to secure a win against Trump in the general election.
