Following US President Joe Biden‘s decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic Party’s nomination, attention has shifted to her electoral prospects, particularly in a potential matchup against former President Donald Trump.
Recent polls indicate that Harris trails Trump by an average of 2 percentage points nationally, with 46% support compared to Trump’s 48%.This represents a slight improvement over Biden’s position, as he lagged behind Trump by 3 percentage points, garnering 47% to Trump’s 44%, according to a report from NYT.
In crucial swing state surveys conducted prior to Biden’s announcement and the attempted assassination of Trump, Harris trailed by a mere 1 percentage point in Pennsylvania, a pivotal battleground state.
Moreover, she enjoyed a more significant 5-point advantage in Virginia, a state where Biden held only a narrow lead. In both states, Harris exhibited slightly stronger backing from Black voters, younger voters, and women—key demographics essential for the Democrats’ victory in the forthcoming election.
Significantly, these are the groups where Biden seemed to be losing support.
As of April, Harris’s poll numbers were markedly lower than Biden’s, but she has experienced gains in recent polls.
Simultaneously, a growing number of Democrats had voiced their preference for Biden to withdraw from the race. An AP-NORC poll administered from July 11-15 showed that nearly two-thirds of Democrats desired the president to step aside, enabling the party to select an alternative candidate.