US Presidential Elections 2024: In the race for the White House, a recent New York Times/Siena College poll reveals that United States Vice President Kamala Harris is in a virtual tie with former US president Donald Trump. The poll, released on Saturday, shows Harris garnering 47% support from likely voters, just one percentage point behind Trump at 48%. This development follows US President Joe Biden's withdrawal from his re-election campaign under pressure from party leaders, which has seen a swift consolidation of Democratic support around Harris.
The poll indicates that 70% of Democratic voters now back Harris, with only 14% expressing a preference for another option. Furthermore, 93% of Democrats support Harris, mirroring the same level of support Trump enjoys from Republicans.
Harris announced her candidacy last week, hours after Biden, 81, officially stepped aside. Her fresh campaign has evidently resonated with the Democratic base, with a majority expressing enthusiasm about her as the nominee. Only 10% of Democrats reported feeling dissatisfied or angry with her candidacy, according to NYT.
The poll highlights Harris's strength among demographics where Biden had struggled, particularly younger and nonwhite voters. She enjoys about 60% support from voters under 30 and Hispanic voters. Additionally, she leads Trump by 10 percentage points among voters under 45, a significant improvement from the previous poll where Trump had a narrow lead over Biden.
However, the survey also points out some concerns among Democrats regarding Harris's appeal to older voters, a group where Biden had been particularly strong. There is some evidence of erosion in Democratic support among these voters.
The poll results arrive amidst a highly volatile period in American politics, just weeks after Trump survived an assassination attempt, which has bolstered his favourability ratings to the highest level recorded in a national New York Times survey.
Democratic National Committee Set To Finalise Kamala Harris' Nomination By August 1
Kamala Harris, if elected on November 5, 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. Despite the significant support she has garnered, no other Democrats have yet announced their candidacy for the presidential race. Harris has already secured endorsements from over 40 state delegations, surpassing the number of delegates needed to win the nomination, with the Democratic National Committee set to finalise the nominee by August 1.
Harris, who served as a senator from California before becoming Vice President, has swiftly mobilised her campaign efforts with events in Wisconsin, Indiana, and Texas. Her campaign has reported raising over USD 130 million since she officially entered the race. The ‘Harris for President’ campaign has launched a ‘Weekend of Action’ with over 1,70,000 volunteers and 2,300 events across key battleground states, marking 100 days until Election Day.
The poll also shows independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. struggling, with his support dropping to just 5% of likely voters, making him the only third-party candidate above 1%.