Exclusive: Harris Gains Lead Over Trump; Voters View Her as Debate Winner, Reuters/Ipsos Poll Reveals

By Jason Lange

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris holds a lead over Republican Donald Trump in the upcoming presidential election, with a recent poll indicating 47% support for Harris compared to 42% for Trump. This marks an increase in her advantage following a debate in which voters largely felt she emerged as the winner, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted recently.

The two-day survey revealed a five-point lead for Harris among registered voters, an improvement from her previous four-point lead recorded in an August poll.

Among those familiar with the recent debate, 53% believed Harris won, while only 24% felt Trump was victorious, with the remainder either stating neither won or not responding. Additionally, 52% of those aware of the debate noted that Trump appeared to stumble and lacked clarity, in contrast to 21% who felt the same about Harris. Notably, even some Republican voters recognized weaknesses in Trump’s performance, with 20% stating he didn’t seem sharp.

During the debate, Harris, 59, challenged Trump, 78, with pointed critiques about his qualifications for office and ongoing legal issues, including a felony conviction for falsifying business records. A significant 52% of voters who watched the debate perceived Harris as having higher moral integrity, versus 29% for Trump.

The reception of Trump’s debate performance among Republicans was mixed. While 53% of Republican voters felt he won, a significant majority of Democrats (91%) believed Harris was the victor. Among Republican respondents, 31% claimed there was no clear winner, and 14% felt Harris outperformed Trump.

The debate drew considerable attention, with 91% of registered voters stating they had heard about it, and 44% saying they had heard a lot. Hosted by a major news network, the event garnered 67.1 million viewers, surpassing the 51 million who tuned in to watch Trump debate then-candidate Joe Biden.

Concerns regarding age surfaced in the poll, revealing that 52% of voters viewed Trump as too old for government, contrasted with only 7% who felt the same about Harris.

Overall, voters perceived Harris more favorably regarding her demeanor. When asked who appeared more dignified, 56% favored Harris, while just 24% chose Trump. Additionally, 49% believed Harris seemed approachable and understanding of their concerns, compared to 18% who felt that way about Trump.

The poll, which surveyed 1,690 adults nationwide—with 1,405 being registered voters—had a margin of error of approximately three percentage points for registered voters.

While national polls such as this one provide insights into voter sentiment, the decisive factor in the presidential race will be the state-by-state results of the Electoral College, with several battleground states expected to play a crucial role.