Vice President Kamala Harris has gained a slight two-percentage-point lead over Republican Donald Trump, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, following President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 race and endorsement of Harris.
Previously, Biden trailed Trump by two points in a poll conducted before his exit. The latest survey, conducted Monday and Tuesday after Trump’s nomination acceptance at the Republican National Convention and Biden’s endorsement of Harris, shows Harris leading Trump 44% to 42%. This margin is within the poll’s 3-percentage-point margin of error.
Harris and Trump were tied at 44% in a July 15-16 poll, and Trump had a one-point lead in a July 1-2 poll, both within the same margin of error.
Despite the lead, Trump’s campaign downplayed the significance of Harris’s temporary boost in popularity, attributing it to heightened media coverage of her new candidacy.
The poll indicates a higher level of voter confidence in Harris compared to Biden and Trump. Approximately 56% of registered voters view Harris as “mentally sharp and able to handle challenges,” versus 49% for Trump and only 22% for Biden.
Biden’s decision to step down followed a debate performance where he struggled to counter Trump’s attacks. Among Democrats, 80% had a favorable view of Biden, while 91% viewed Harris positively.
In a hypothetical match-up including independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Harris leads Trump 42% to 38%, with Kennedy receiving 8% support. Harris’s campaign is focusing on critical battleground states, like Wisconsin, and the selection of her running mate.
The poll, conducted online, surveyed 1,241 U.S. adults, including 1,018 registered voters.
