Latest NBC News National Poll Shows Harris Leading Trump 49% to 44%

The latest NBC News poll indicates that Vice President Kamala Harris is gaining significant traction in the 2024 presidential race. She has experienced a double-digit increase in popularity, reflecting a rise in Democratic enthusiasm and establishing herself as the leading candidate for “change.”

With just over six weeks until Election Day, the poll shows Harris leading former President Donald Trump by 5 points among registered voters, with current support at 49% to Trump’s 44%. Although the margin of error suggests the race remains competitive, this marks a notable shift from July’s poll, where Trump had a 2-point lead prior to President Joe Biden’s exit from the race.

When factoring in third-party candidates, Harris enhances her lead over Trump to 6 points, holding 47% compared to Trump’s 41%.

Harris’s favorability has increased by 16 points since July, representing the largest improvement for any political figure in NBC News polling since George W. Bush’s rise in popularity following the September 11 attacks. Currently, she is viewed more positively than Trump in terms of competence, effectiveness, and overall health, areas where Trump previously outperformed Biden.

In an environment where voters are largely dissatisfied with the country’s direction, Harris appears to be the candidate best positioned to represent change and guide the nation positively.

Pollster Jeff Horwitt of Hart Research Associates noted, “In July, there was a stiff breeze heading directly at President Biden and obscuring a clear path to victory. Today, the winds have turned in Kamala Harris’s favor.”

However, Trump still maintains advantages on critical issues like the economy and inflation, although these leads have diminished since Biden’s withdrawal. Approximately two-thirds of voters feel that their family income is not keeping pace with the cost of living, ranking this issue as their primary concern for the upcoming election.

The poll also implies that some of Trump’s declining support is coming from Republicans who are not firmly aligned with him but may return to his camp, similar to previous elections.

This poll, conducted from September 13-17, comes after two crucial months in U.S. politics, which included President Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 race, two party conventions, the selection of vice-presidential candidates, and notable events such as assassination attempts on Donald Trump and the first debate between Trump and Vice President Harris.