Harris Leads Trump by 7 Points, According to Poll

A recent poll indicates that Vice President Kamala Harris holds a 7-point lead over former President Donald Trump as the nation gears up for the upcoming presidential election.

A survey conducted by Fairleigh Dickinson University, released last Friday, shows Harris leading Trump by a margin of 50 to 43 percent, with 7 percent of respondents saying they would choose someone else. Both candidates enjoy substantial support from their respective party members, securing 95 percent allegiance from their supporters.

Among independent voters, Harris still maintains an edge, albeit a narrower one, leading Trump 38 to 33 percent. Her appeal is particularly strong among self-identified liberals, who support her 87 to 10 percent, as well as progressives at 93 to 5 percent. Moderates also lean towards Harris, with her leading 62 to 30 percent in that group.

Conversely, Trump claims a dominant lead among conservatives, securing 76 percent support compared to Harris’s 19 percent. Among MAGA voters, he receives overwhelming backing at 95 to 4 percent.

Pollsters highlighted the significance of race and gender perceptions in shaping Harris’s advantage. When voters are prompted to consider these factors, Harris’s lead expands considerably. Without these considerations, support for both candidates appears to be nearly equal, according to the polling analysis.

The findings reveal that Trump draws his strongest support from men who subscribe to traditional masculine identities. In contrast, women and men who reject these traditional norms tend to favor Harris.

Dan Cassino, a Government and Politics professor at Fairleigh Dickinson and the executive director of the poll, noted that Trump’s political persona has heavily relied on representations of whiteness and masculinity. Cassino remarked that while this has traditionally been viewed as an asset, its effectiveness is now in question.

He further elaborated that while race is a significant factor in elections, it does not always dominate voters’ thoughts. Trump does attract a degree of support among non-white voters, but this swiftly shifts in favor of Harris once race becomes a focal point in their considerations.

Since taking over the Democratic presidential ticket from President Biden last month, Harris has quickly gained momentum, challenging Trump’s previous advantageous position in both national polls and key swing states.

This recent polling data offers positive news for Harris and suggests that her campaign is gaining traction. However, some political strategists have cautioned that it may be premature to draw firm conclusions about the November outcome.

According to the polling index compiled by Decision Desk HQ and The Hill, Harris currently leads Trump by 3.6 percent.

Despite the poll results, Trump has downplayed the notion of Harris gaining ground. When questioned last Thursday by Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum regarding her rising support, Trump asserted, “No, she’s not having success. I’m having success. I’m doing great with the Hispanic voters. I’m doing great with Black men. I’m doing great with women, because women want safety.”

The survey was conducted between August 17 and 20, involving 801 registered voters nationwide. It was executed by Braun Research and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence interval.

Source: Fairleigh Dickinson University