US Vice President Kamala Harris has surged in popularity, tying with former President Donald Trump in the latest New York Times/Siena College poll. This development comes days after President Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race, leading to a swift consolidation of Democratic support behind Harris. The poll reveals that 70% of Democratic voters support Harris, with only 14% preferring another option. Harris’s campaign quickly gained momentum after Biden’s exit, rallying a previously divided Democratic Party.
Poll numbers
In a head-to-head match, Trump leads Harris by a narrow margin of 48% to 47% among likely voters. Among registered voters, Trump leads 48% to 46%. This marks a significant improvement for the Democrats compared to earlier polls where Biden trailed Trump by a wider margin.
Impact on different voter groups
Harris is performing better than Biden among younger and nonwhite voters, securing about 60% support from voters under 30 and Hispanic voters. She leads Trump by 10 percentage points among voters under 45.
Concerns among Democrats
Some Democrats are concerned about Harris’s ability to retain Biden’s support among older voters, where there has been some erosion in Democratic support.
Campaign momentum
Harris has already secured endorsements from over 40 state delegations and has raised over USD 130 million since entering the race. Her campaign has launched a ‘Weekend of Action’ with over 1,70,000 volunteers and 2,300 events across battleground states.
Upcoming Democratic nomination
Harris is expected to be officially nominated for president during a virtual roll call vote early next month, following new rules adopted by the Democratic National Committee.
Independent candidate impact
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the only third-party candidate above 1% in the polls, continues to see his share of the vote decline, now at just 5% of likely voters.
Historical significance
If elected, Harris would make history as the first woman, the first Indian-American, the first Asian, the first Black woman, and the first person of Jamaican descent to become President of the United States.
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