Fresh national survey places Harris and Trump on equivalent footing with Trump
A fortnight prior to the United States' presidential election, a poll conducted by the New York Times (NYT) and Siena College revealed an equal standing between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump nationally. The poll, which was published on Friday, indicated that both the Democratic nominee and the Republican candidate had gained 48% approval ratings. This development signified a decline in Harris's previous three-point lead over Trump, as per the NYT's poll conducted in early October.
Poll results are often viewed as a gauge of public sentiment, although they do not dictate the election's final outcome. The NYT interpreted this result as negative for Vice President Harris, given that Democratic candidates have historically secured a majority nationally in previous presidential elections, although this does not guarantee a victory.
The poll results also demonstrated that the majority of Americans are discontent with the nation's current situation. Only 28% of participants believed the country was heading in the right direction, which typically signifies a difficult scenario for the party in power, according to the NYT's analysis.
In the United States, the President is indirectly elected by a college of 538 electors, which are delegated by the individual states. At least 270 of these electors are required to secure the election. Due to this distinctive system, the election's ultimate result is expected to hinge on just seven swing states, where the difference between candidates is minimal.
Polls in these seven key states - Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin - have shown a close contest between Harris and Trump for weeks. The election on November 5 holds significant implications for the future of U.S. democracy and the foreign policy of the world's leading power. Trump seeks to reclaim the White House following his first term (2017-2021) and last year's electoral defeat.
Vice President Harris assumed the nomination following the withdrawal of incumbent Joe Biden in late July. If elected, she would become the first woman to lead the world's largest economy and military force.
Despite Trump gaining ground on Harris in the national polls, Harris continues to face a challenging path in the critical swing states. Despite Harris assuming the Democratic nomination after Biden's withdrawal, Harris's potential victory in the election would still make history as she would become the first woman to lead the United States.
