The US election race has entered the final stretch. The latest polls show Democratic candidate Kamala Harris ahead by a very small margin. Experts believe that the election results will be determined by which campaign does a better job leading up to Election Day. The latest polls point to demographic factors, particularly a record-high gender gap, in voters’ preferences.
Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have been neck and neck in the polls for weeks.
That trend is unlikely to change through Nov. 5, according to two new polls released Sunday.
HARRIS MAINTAINS SLIM ADVANTAGE
A CBS News/YouGov poll found Harris leading Trump 50 percent to 49 percent nationally, down slightly from the 51 percent to 48 percent advantage in mid-October but within the poll’s margin of error.
An ABC News/Ipsos poll showed Harris leading 51 percent to 47 percent among likely voters, driven by her advantage among women voters. The results fall just outside the poll’s margin of error of +/- 2.5.
CLASSY STATES WILL BE DECISIVE
Experts predict the outcome of the election will be determined by which campaign does the better job leading up to Election Day.
That’s especially true in the seven battleground states expected to determine the White House race.
Pundits say Harris has the upper hand nationally, and the race is very close in decisive states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada.
WHICH VOTER IS VOTING FOR WHOM?
The race is tightly contested not just among those likely to vote this year, but among all registered voters.
The ABC News/Ipsos poll, like others, underscores how both campaigns are trying to build coalitions around specific issues. Harris has an advantage among voters who support access to health care and want to protect democracy, while Trump fares well among voters concerned with the economy and immigration policy.
Polls point to demographic factors in candidate preferences, particularly a record-high gender gap.
Women voters say that “only Kamala Harris has the mental and cognitive health to serve as president, and Trump does not,” by a 10 percentage point margin compared to men.
