NBC, CBS Polls Indicate Harris is Gaining Ground on Trump as Public Perception Improves, Reports Reuters

Harris Leads Trump in Latest Polls

In recent polling conducted by NBC News, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is leading her Republican opponent, Donald Trump, by a margin of 5 percentage points. The survey indicates that since becoming the Democratic presidential nominee, Harris has gained favor among voters, with 48% of 1,000 registered voters expressing positive views of her, a significant increase from 32% in July. This marks the most substantial improvement in politician favorability ratings since the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks.

The poll revealed that 40% of participants view Trump positively, a slight increase from 38% in July. Conducted between September 13 and 17, the NBC poll has a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

A separate poll by CBS News shows Harris with a narrower lead over Trump, at 52% to 48% among likely voters, with a margin of error of 2 percentage points. These findings align with other recent national surveys, indicating a close race as the November 5 election approaches.

While national polls provide insight into voter sentiment, the outcome will ultimately depend on state-by-state results in the Electoral College, particularly in key battleground states that are expected to play a critical role.

Trump, at 78, is pursuing his third consecutive presidential campaign after losing to Joe Biden in 2020, a result he continues to erroneously attribute to widespread voter fraud while he faces multiple federal and state legal challenges surrounding efforts to overturn that election.

Harris, 59, who previously served as a U.S. senator and prosecutor, is currently serving under President Biden. If elected, she would become the first woman to serve as president in the nation’s history.

Political analyst Amy Walter noted that Harris has successfully shifted the race’s focus from a referendum on Biden to one against Trump. In the CBS poll of 3,129 registered voters, conducted from September 18 to 20, Harris gained 2 percentage points following a debate performance and positive economic updates, moving from a 50-50 split in August.