Democrats have spent weeks bragging about Kamala Harris' momentum, but Donald Trump is getting the last laugh as he finally pulls ahead just before their high-stakes debate.
A bombshell New York Times/Siena College poll released Sunday has Trump leading Harris 48% to 47% with likely voters. The data, coming from a highly rated pollster, suggests that Harris' media-driven "honeymoon" is finally over.
The survey was taken from 1,695 registered voters across the country from Sept. 3 to 6, 2024. Trump's lead is within the margin of error of 2.8 points.
The new numbers are a reversion to where things stood just after Joe Biden ended his re-election bid in July.
Trump leads on the most important issue, the economy. 55% of voters trust Trump more on the economy compared to Harris, and 53% trust Trump more on immigration. Harris wins on abortion, with 54% trusting her more.
21% rated the economy as the top issue, followed by 14% saying abortion, 12% saying immigration, and 7% saying inflation and cost of living.
Likely voters also see Trump as the more moderate candidate - another red flag for Harris. While 47% of voters say Harris is too liberal, just 32% said Trump is too conservative.
The sobering polls raises the stakes of Tuesday night's debate, where Harris and Trump will face off for the first - and maybe the last - time.
Voters know less about Harris then they do about Trump, the poll found. Until now, Harris has dodged tough questioning from the press.
In another good sign for Trump, 53% of voters believe Trump will bring major changes to the country, but only 25% said the same for Harris. 60% of likely voters want change.
The large gap shows that Harris' attempts to paint herself as a fresh face are falling flat. Harris has sought to distance herself from the Biden administration, in which she has served as vice president, while her campaign retracts many of her formerly leftist positions without any clear explanation.
About half of voters say Harris shares some blame for high prices and the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan. Two-thirds say she has some blame for the crisis at the southern border.
"She’s right to call herself an underdog,” said Anthony Coley, a Democratic strategist who served in the Biden administration, told The Hill. "I’m glad this poll came out. It’s a gift to Democrats …and it’s a wake-up call in many ways.”
