Analysts say, however, that the bump might be short-lived
A recent national poll shows that US Vice President Kamala Harris has a narrow lead over her Republican rival, Donald Trump. The poll, conducted by Reuters/Ipsos, was released on Tuesday, following US President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race and his endorsement of Harris as his replacement.
According to the poll, Harris has a two-point lead over Trump, with 44% of respondents supporting Harris and 42% supporting Trump. This lead falls within the margin of error.
Last week, Harris and Trump were tied at 44% in the same poll.
The new poll was conducted in the two days following Biden’s announcement that he was withdrawing from the race. It also took place after the Republican National Convention, where Trump officially accepted his party’s nomination.
Biden announced his withdrawal after weeks of growing concerns among Democrats about his declining health and his ability to defeat Trump in November.
Harris, who has already secured the Democratic nomination, has been receiving significant donations and endorsements since Biden’s withdrawal. In the first 24 hours after Biden’s announcement, Harris’ campaign received $81 million in contributions, setting a fundraising record.
A pollster for Trump’s campaign has downplayed the results of the Reuters/Ipsos poll. He argues that Harris’s performance was boosted by the widespread media coverage of her candidacy and the excitement among Democratic voters about the change in the race.
“That bump is likely to start showing itself over the next few days and will last for a while,” Reuters quoted pollster Tony Fabrizio as saying.
The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll results also provide support for Biden’s decision to withdraw. The poll found that 56% of registered voters agree that Harris is “mentally sharp and able to deal with challenges,” compared to 49% who said the same of Trump.
Other polls conducted since Biden abandoned his candidacy have shown that Harris is polling better than Biden but that she still trails Trump. For example, the Morning Consult poll showed the vice president trailing Trump by two percentage points, 47% to 45%, within the margin of error.
In a PBS News/NPR/Marist poll conducted on Monday, Trump held a lead over Harris, with 46% to 45% of US registered voters supporting him.