U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris has taken a lead over her Republican rival, Donald Trump, by 5 percentage points, according to an NBC News poll, released on Sunday.
It revealed that Harris's favorability has seen a significant increase since she became the Democratic nominee for president. The poll surveyed 1,000 registered voters, and 48% of them expressed a positive view of Harris, a substantial increase from the 32% favorability she held in July.
This leap in approval ratings is the largest among politicians as per NBC's polling data since President George W. Bush's popularity surged following the September 11, 2001, attacks. On the other hand, Donald Trump's favorability has seen a marginal increase.
Forty percent of the respondents viewed him positively, a slight rise from 38% in July. The poll was conducted between September 13 and 17, and it carries a margin of error of 3 percentage points.
Harris Outperforms Trump in Separate CBS News Poll
In a separate poll conducted by CBS News, Harris was again found leading Trump, this time by 4 percentage points, with 52% of likely voters favoring her compared to Trump's 48%. This poll, which has a margin of error rate of plus or minus 2 percentage points, aligns with the findings of the NBC News poll. These findings are consistent with other recent national polls, including those conducted by Reuters/Ipsos, indicating a close contest as the nation heads towards the November 5 election.
However, it's important to note that while national surveys provide valuable insights into the electorate's views, the state-by-state results of the Electoral College are what ultimately determine the winner. A few key battleground states are likely to be decisive in this regard.
Donald Trump, aged 78, is making his third consecutive bid for the White House after losing to Joe Biden in 2020. Despite facing federal and state criminal charges over efforts to overturn the election results, Trump continues to falsely attribute his loss to widespread voter fraud.
On the other hand, Kamala Harris, 59, is a former U.S. senator and prosecutor currently serving under Biden. If she wins, she would make history as the first woman to serve as president in the nation's 248-year history.
Historically, such shifts in favorability ratings have had significant impacts on election outcomes. For instance, George W. Bush's approval ratings soared after the 9/11 attacks, which played a crucial role in his re-election in 2004.
Similarly, Barack Obama's approval ratings saw a significant boost after the killing of Osama bin Laden in 2011, which contributed to his re-election in 2012.
