Trump and Harris tied in key swing states – poll
Former US President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are virtually tied in three key battleground states – Arizona, Georgia, and North Carolina – according to a new survey published on Thursday.
The poll, conducted by Marist College, found that Harris and Trump both have the support of 49% among likely voters in North Carolina. In Arizona and Georgia, Trump leads by just one percentage point, with 50% of potential voters in both states indicating they will support him, while 49% lean towards Harris.
The survey was conducted from September 19 to 24 and included 4,643 registered voters across all three states. All respondents indicated that they plan to vote in November, and 91% expressed certainty about their choice.
These three states offer a total of 43 electoral votes combined. Trump won North Carolina in both 2016 and 2020. He also defeated then-Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in Arizona and Georgia in 2016 but lost both states to President Joe Biden in 2020, marking the first time a Democratic nominee won Georgia since 1992.
Trump disputed the Georgia election results, alleging that the election was rigged. These claims were refuted by various state officials, including Republican Governor Brian Kemp.
Another poll conducted in August by the Siena College Research Institute showed that Harris had a significant lead over Trump in three other swing states: Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. The vice president was expected to outpace her rival by 50% to 46% across all three states, according to the poll’s data.
However, in 2020, the final gap between Biden and Trump turned out to be much smaller than earlier predictions.
Nationwide polling results published by the New York Times on Thursday also suggested that Harris is beating Trump by three points. The paper noted, however, that the former president could “easily prevail” if he gains ground in several key states, including Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Nevada, where Harris’ lead is within two percentage points.
