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Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
Democratic presidential candidate, US Vice President Kamala Harris, and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
New Michigan poll shows Trump and Harris are neck and neck, with just 0.3% separating them. Third-party candidates, including RFK Jr., also impact the race
Former US President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are in a tight race in Michigan, according to a new poll from the key Upper Midwest battleground state ahead of the November election.
Harris leading Trump by a mere 0.3 percentage points. Harris has 41.6% support compared to Trump’s 41.3%, a margin that falls within the poll’s 4-point margin of error, according to the Detroit News-WDIV-TV live-dial poll, conducted from July 22 to 24.
The poll follows US President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race and highlights a tight contest in Michigan, a state that will be key in the upcoming election, the New York Post reported. The poll underlines the impact of third-party candidates in the race. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., running under the Natural Law Party, garners 9.7% support in Michigan.
Kennedy’s presence could influence the outcome, especially if his support diminishes as the election nears. Libertarian candidate Chase Oliver receives 0.7%, Green Party’s Jill Stein gets 0.5%, and 0.3% support other candidates. Additionally, 5.6% of voters are still undecided. The poll suggests that Biden’s exit has reinvigorated Democratic voters, with 46.4% of voters under 30, 38.5% of Black voters, and 36.6% of self-identified “strong Democrats” expressing increased enthusiasm for Harris compared to Biden.
A notable gender gap is evident in the poll. Trump leads among men with 50.3% support, while Harris trails with 35.3%. In contrast, Harris leads among women with 47.4% support compared to Trump’s 33% and Kennedy’s 11.2%. The poll indicates challenges for Trump’s outreach to minority voters. No African American respondents reported supporting Trump, whereas 82.1% back Harris and 11.5% support Kennedy.
The path to victory for either Trump or Harris will likely require addressing Kennedy’s influence among independents. This poll marks the second instance this week of a close race in Michigan. An Emerson College survey also shows that Harris and Trump are tied at 44% when considering the expanded presidential field.