Harris leads Trump by 5 points after debate performance impresses voters: Poll

Vice President Kamala Harris holds a 5-point lead over former President Donald Trump in the race for the November 5 presidential election, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released Thursday (September 12).

The poll, which was conducted over two days and surveyed 1,690 US adults, including 1,405 registered voters, shows Harris widening her margin after a presidential debate that many voters believe she won.

Of those surveyed who followed Tuesday’s debate, 53 per cent said Harris outperformed Trump, while 24 per cent said the opposite.

About 52 per cent of respondents believed Trump appeared off his game during the debate, compared to 21 per cent who thought the same of Harris.

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During the heated debate, Harris, 59, pressed Trump, 78, on his qualifications for office and his ongoing legal challenges. The debate drew significant attention, with 91 per cent of respondents reporting they had heard at least something about it.

Republicans showed mixed reactions to their candidate’s performance. While 53 per cent of Republican voters said Trump won the debate, 31 per cent believed no one came out on top, and 14 per cent felt Harris was the victor. Meanwhile, 91 per cent of Democrats said Harris won.

The debate, broadcast by ABC News, attracted 67.1 million viewers, according to Nielsen, surpassing the number who watched Trump’s debate with then-candidate Joe Biden in June.

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When it came to demeanor, voters generally rated Harris more favorably. Of those familiar with the debate, 56 per cent said Harris appeared more dignified, compared to 24 per cent for Trump. Additionally, 49 per cent felt Harris was someone who would listen and understand their concerns, while only 18 per cent felt the same about Trump.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll said it has a margin of error of approximately three percentage points.

With inputs from Reuters