Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris leads former President Donald Trump by a narrow 3-point margin, 45 per cent to 42 per cent, in a close race for the November 5 US presidential election, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.
The poll, conducted over three days and concluding Sunday, shows steady support for both candidates compared with a similar poll a week earlier.
Notably, enthusiasm among voters appears to be high, with 78 per cent of registered voters saying they are “completely certain” they will cast a ballot. This includes 86 per cent of Democrats and 81per cent of Republicans, a slight uptick from the 2020 presidential election cycle.
Harris joined the presidential race in July after President Joe Biden withdrew his reelection bid following a lackluster debate performance. While Trump has maintained an edge with voters on the economy, Harris has gained support for her positions on healthcare and handling political extremism.
The poll shows Harris leading Trump by 5 points on addressing extremism (43 per cent to 38 per cent) and by 14 points on healthcare policy. Meanwhile, Trump holds a 5-point advantage on economic issues, an area voters identified as the top national priority.
With the race so close, efforts to ensure voter turnout in crucial battleground states are expected to play a decisive role in determining the winner, as the candidates remain neck-and-neck in key states. Only 46 per cent of voters in the poll had a favorable opinion of Harris, while 42 per cent said the same of Trump.
The poll surveyed 938 US adults nationwide, including 807 registered voters. Among likely voters, Harris holds a 3-point lead over Trump, 47 per cent to 44 per cent, with a margin of error of 4 percentage points.
With inputs from Reuters