Two months after Kamala Harris took the Democratic nomination for her endorsement in the U.S. election against Republican, Donald Trump, her enthusiastic support has begun to be met with uncertainty.
As the BBC reports in its analysis, despite her significant rise in the polls, Harris appears to be appealing mainly to traditional Democratic voters who were concerned about 81-year-old Joe Biden’s ability to challenge for the presidency again. But that doesn’t mean she has attracted new audiences to the Democratic Party.
As Election Day approaches, Harris is challenged to broaden her base by trying to attract independents and undecided voters. The latest polls, however, show the race remains tight, with Trump gaining ground in the crucial “blue wall” states – Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania – as well as among black and Latino voters.
Concerns about Harris are acute, especially in key states where many voters still feel they don’t know her well enough. She initially disparaged Trump by calling him “unstable” and “weird” but has recently adopted a harsher tone, calling him “fascist” and “unstable.” Her original intention to convey a message of joy and hope has been replaced by warnings about the dangers of a second Trump term.
Analysts believe Harris can win the popular vote, but that is not enough to win the electoral college, where winning in key states is critical. Polling parity with Trump in those states means that the outcome may be decided in minute detail.
At the same time, the two candidates both<48% of voter preferences for the presidential election on November 5, according to the latest New York Times/Siena College national poll released today.
The result, which comes less than two weeks before Election Day and while millions of Americans have already voted, does not look encouraging for Kamala, according to the New York Times. In recent elections, Democrats had a lead in the popular vote even as they were losing the Electoral College and thus the White House.They expected Harris to build a strong national lead as a sign that she would do well in critical states like Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Harris and Trump remain essentially tied even after three of the most tumultuous months in recent American political history.
A high-profile debate, two assassination attempts on the Republican, dozens of rallies in seven battleground states, and hundreds of millions spent on ads seemingly did little to change the course of the race.
Harris’s position, if anything, shows that she has lost ground among likely voters compared with the previous Times/Siena College poll, conducted in early October. Back then, he had a slight lead over Trump, 49% to 46%. That change is within the margin of error.
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While this latest Times/Siena College poll offers a glimpse into the national mood, the presidential election will be decided in the seven battleground states where Harris and Trump have devoted the overwhelming majority of their time and resources.
Most polls in those states – Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin – show the showdown to be close.
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