I am proud to watch my partner Kamala Harris accept our nomination for president. She will be an outstanding president because she is fighting for our future.
Tune in for the last night of the Democratic National Convention.
https://t.co/fuakb3SsSp— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 23, 2024
Kamala Harris has gained ground on Donald Trump in recent national polls, according to several surveys released in the past week. A new poll from Fairleigh Dickinson University found Harris leading Trump by 7 points, 50 to 43 percent, with 7 percent saying they would vote for someone else. Harris and Trump have equal support from their respective parties, with 95 percent of Democrats backing Harris and 95 percent of Republicans supporting Trump.
Among independents, Harris holds a smaller lead, 38 to 33 percent. The poll also found that race and gender play a significant role in the candidates’ support.
RFK Jr. in a nutshell: per @CookPolitical's swing state polls, his image is a dismal 35/53 (-18) among high-engagement voters, but 45/33 (+12) among low/mids. No one else's image is remotely that polarized. https://t.co/DHjkj3THGe
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) August 24, 2024
When voters are asked to consider these factors, Harris’s lead grows, while support is virtually tied when race and gender are not emphasized.
Today's update.
We are already seeing a convention bounce for Harris, and this is from data BEFORE her speech last night.https://t.co/vsGVG189Sa pic.twitter.com/qn7KfYydnH
— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) August 24, 2024
“Trump has built his political career around a very specific performance of whiteness and masculinity,” said Dan Cassino, a professor at Fairleigh Dickinson and the executive director of the poll.
Harris gains momentum in recent polls
“In the past, that’s been seen as a strength, but it’s no longer clear that it’s working.”
Since replacing Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee last month, Harris has been closing the gap with Trump both nationally and in key swing states.
Biden dropped out of the race on July 21 after a poor debate performance in June and endorsed Harris, leading to a surge of support for the new nominee. A combination of renewed Democratic energy and a lackluster campaign by Republican vice-presidential nominee JD Vance has contributed to the shift in the polls. By August, Harris began polling above Trump for the first time in the race.
The upcoming Democratic National Convention is expected to give Harris a further boost in the polls, but with several weeks and debates remaining before the November election, the race is still far from decided. National polling averages, which take into account a rolling 10-day period, provide a snapshot of the candidates’ support at a given moment. However, it is important to note that the election is ultimately decided by the electoral college, not the national popular vote.
