Kamala Harris has made significant strides in the polls since becoming the Democratic vice presidential nominee, but former President Trump remains a formidable opponent, according to a new Fox News poll.
Just a week after former President Trump announced his candidacy for reelection and President Biden promptly withdrew from the race, a series of polls have begun to assess the impact of these developments on the 2024 presidential contest. One such poll, conducted by Fox News, has revealed that Vice President Kamala Harris has narrowed the gap with Trump in key battleground states.
According to the Fox News poll, Harris has reduced Trump's lead from 3.1 points when Biden was still in the race to just 1.7 points today. This suggests that Harris is a more competitive candidate against Trump than Biden was.
Trump, Harris in Neck-and-Neck Race in Key Battleground States, Fox News Poll Shows
The poll also shows that Harris has made significant gains among certain voter groups, notably young people and minorities. These groups have "come home" to the Democratic Party in July, even before the Democratic convention and Harris's official nomination.
Media coverage of the race has largely focused on the unity the Democrats have displayed and how it will likely result in an effective convention. However, the election remains about Trump and whether voters want to see him return to the White House or opt for Harris and prevent a second Trump term.
Trump, Harris in Neck-and-Neck Race in Key Battleground States, Fox News Poll Shows
As has been the case for most of the year, Trump continues to hover between 45% and 50% of the vote in almost all national polls that measure his strength against a single opponent. Several recent polls have shown him creeping up and edging closer to 50%.
It is important to note that the Republican candidate does not need to win the popular vote to win the Electoral College. In fact, in two of the three presidential elections that Republicans have won this century, they lost the popular vote. In 2020, Trump received less than 47% of the popular vote and came very close to winning the Electoral College.
Trump, Harris in Neck-and-Neck Race in Key Battleground States, Fox News Poll Shows
The Fox News poll also revealed that the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin are essentially toss-ups. In Pennsylvania and Michigan, the race is tied at 49-49, while in Wisconsin, Trump holds a narrow 1-point lead (50-49).
Trump arguably needs to win only one of these three states to prevent Harris from reaching 270 electoral votes and securing the presidency.
Trump, Harris in Neck-and-Neck Race in Key Battleground States, Fox News Poll Shows
One positive sign for Harris is that her voters appear more enthusiastic than Biden voters were. The enthusiasm of her supporters is comparable to that of Trump voters. In a close election, individual voter enthusiasm can be a crucial factor in determining the outcome.
However, Trump continues to hold the advantage in the race, with his support hovering in the high 40s. Until the Democrats find a way to erode Trump's support, he will remain the frontrunner in this election.
Trump, Harris in Neck-and-Neck Race in Key Battleground States, Fox News Poll Shows
