In a significant shift, Vice President Kamala Harris has managed to regain some of the support President Joe Biden was losing in five crucial battleground states, according to a recent poll.
Harris, now the likely Democratic presidential nominee following President Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 race on Sunday, has been endorsed by Biden to challenge Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, in the upcoming November election.
If nominated at the Democratic National Convention in August, Harris would make history as the first Black woman and the first person of South Asian descent to lead a major party’s presidential ticket.
The new Emerson College Polling/The Hill survey indicates that Harris is currently trailing Trump in four key swing states—Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, and Pennsylvania—and is tied with him in Wisconsin.
However, Harris has surpassed Biden’s support levels in all five states compared to a survey conducted earlier in July.
The poll, conducted between July 22 and 23 with a margin of error of 3.3 percentage points, reveals the following support levels:
- Arizona: 44% for Harris, 49% for Trump
- Georgia: 46% for Harris, 48% for Trump
- Michigan: 45% for Harris, 46% for Trump
- Pennsylvania: 46% for Harris, 48% for Trump
- Wisconsin: 47% support for both Harris and Trump
These figures show Harris has made notable gains compared to Biden’s earlier support in these states.
The previous Emerson College Polling survey conducted between July 15 and 16 indicated Biden trailing in those states, as his campaign faced increased pressure after a poor debate performance against Trump in late June.
Concerns about Biden’s age and ability to defeat Trump were heightened, especially after an assassination attempt on Trump at a Pennsylvania rally gave the former president a boost in the polls.
The latest survey shows Harris outpacing Biden’s previous support levels by several points:
- Arizona: Harris at 44%, up from Biden’s 40%
- Georgia: Harris at 46%, up from Biden’s 41%
- Michigan: Harris at 45%, up from Biden’s 42%
- Pennsylvania: Harris at 46%, up from Biden’s 43%
- Wisconsin: Harris at 47%, up from Biden’s 43%
Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, noted Harris’s recovery of Democratic support:
“Harris has recovered a portion of the vote for the Democrats on the presidential ticket since the fallout after the June 27 debate.”
He further highlighted that Harris’s support levels now reflect those Biden enjoyed back in March.
Kimball also pointed out the shift among young voters towards Harris: “Her support compared to Biden increased by 16 points in Arizona, eight in Georgia, five in Michigan, 11 in Pennsylvania, and one in Wisconsin since earlier polling this month.”
As the election approaches, these gains indicate a crucial turning point for Harris and the Democratic campaign, positioning her as a formidable contender against Trump in the battleground states that will play a pivotal role in the November election.
