Donald Trump Falls Behind in Election Poll for the First Time in Over a Month
For the first time since May, former President Donald Trump is trailing in a Reuters/Ipsos poll as Vice President Kamala Harris gains momentum.
Harris has emerged as the Democratic frontrunner following President Joe Biden’s announcement on Sunday that he is withdrawing from the race, a decision made after weeks of pressure from key party figures.
Democrats Rally Behind Harris
Democrats have quickly rallied behind Harris, who seems poised to secure enough delegates to win the party’s nomination at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in August.
Trump had maintained a lead over both Harris and Biden in the polls for months.
Confidence in Harris’ Campaign Potential
However, Democrats argue that Harris has the capability to conduct a strong campaign in crucial battleground states in the coming months.
They suggest that earlier polls may not fully reflect her potential as a presidential candidate.
Harris Takes Lead in Latest Poll
According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday, Harris is now leading Trump by two percentage points—44 percent to 42 percent.
Throughout June and July, Trump had led every other Reuters poll against both Biden and Harris.
Leading by Four Points
When independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was included in the poll, Harris’ lead extended to four points, with 42 percent of respondents supporting her compared to 38 percent for Trump and 8 percent for Kennedy, Reuters reported.
The poll, conducted on July 21 and July 22 after Biden’s announcement to exit the race, surveyed 1,241 U.S. adults, as reported by Reuters.
Trump’s First Poll Deficit in Two Months
Trump had not trailed in a Reuters poll for almost two months.
A May 31 Reuters poll had Biden and Trump tied among all respondents, while Biden led by two points—41 percent to 39 percent—among registered voters.
Recent Polls Show Tight Race
Meanwhile, a Reuters poll from July 15 to July 16 showed Harris and Trump tied, each with 44 percent support.
A poll from July 1 to July 2 had Trump leading by one point—39 percent to 38 percent—over Harris. That same poll indicated a tie between Trump and Biden, each with 36 percent support among all respondents.
Harris Gaining Ground
Additionally, a YouGov/Yahoo News poll released on Tuesday showed Harris gaining support.
This poll, conducted among 1,743 adults from July 19 to July 22, found Harris and Trump tied, each with 46 percent support. Notably, part of this poll was conducted before Biden ended his campaign.
Campaign Focused on Key Issues
A previous YouGov/Yahoo News poll conducted among 1,176 registered voters from June 28 to July 1 had Trump leading by two points—47 percent to 45 percent.
Harris launched her campaign on Monday, addressing key issues such as reproductive rights at the Wilmington, Delaware, headquarters, which Democrats consider a significant topic ahead of November.
Harris Visits Key Battleground State of Wisconsin
On Tuesday, Harris visited Wisconsin, a critical battleground state.
She is expected to be joined by Wisconsin Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin, who is up for re-election and did not appear with Biden during his earlier visit to the state in July.
"We Will Defeat Donald Trump”
Harris posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
“I’m excited to be back in Wisconsin to speak about what is at stake in this election—and how we will defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda”.
Republicans Ramp Up Criticism of Harris
Meanwhile, Republicans are intensifying their attacks on Harris, targeting her record on immigration.
They are also attempting to link her to Biden, who has been struggling with low approval ratings among Americans.