Harris and Trump were tied at 44% in the July 15-16 poll, and Trump led by one percentage point in the July 1-2 poll, both within the same margin of error.
Vice President Kamala Harris has a slim two percentage point lead over Republican Donald Trump after President Joe Biden ended his re-election campaign and handed the baton to her, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed.
That's comparable to the slim two-point margin of error Biden had against Trump in last week's poll before dropping out of the race on Sunday.
The new poll followed both the Republican National Convention, where Trump formally accepted the nomination on Thursday and Biden's announcement on Sunday that he was leaving the race and endorsing Harris.
Harris and Trump were tied at 44% in the July 15-16 poll, and Trump led by one percentage point in the July 1-2 poll, both within the same margin of error.
Although polls across the country provide important signals about Americans' support for political candidates, a few contested states typically tip the balance in the US Electoral College, which ultimately decides who wins the presidential election.
A Trump campaign pollster downplayed any polls showing an increase in support for Harris, arguing that it was likely a temporary boost in her popularity due to widespread media coverage of her new candidacy.
"This spike is likely to start showing up in the next few days and continue for some time," pollster Tony Fabrizio said in a message to reporters from the Trump campaign.
Candidates often expect a surge after formally accepting their party's nomination at staged, televised conventions like the one Trump held last week. However, the poll showed no such signs. Boom or not, the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll underscores the reasons for Biden dropping out of the race and being replaced by Harris on the slate.
About 56 per cent of registered voters agreed with the statement that Harris, 59, "is sharp-witted and capable of meeting challenges," compared with 49 per cent who said the same about Trump, 78. Only 22% of voters rate Biden this way. | BGNES
