US Vice-President Kamala Harris leads former President Donald J. Trump in three crucial battleground states, according to new surveys by The New York Times and Siena College, the latest indication of a dramatic reversal in standing for Democrats after President Biden’s departure from the presidential race remade it.

Harris is ahead of Trump by four percentage points in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan, 50 per cent to 46 per cent among likely voters in each state. The surveys were conducted from August 5 to 9.

The polls, some of the first high-quality surveys in those states since Biden announced he would no longer run for re-election, come after nearly a year of surveys that showed either a tied contest or a slight lead for Trump over Biden.

While the reshaped race is still in its volatile early weeks, Democrats are now in a notably stronger position in these three battleground states that have long been key to the party’s victories — or defeats. Still, the results show vulnerabilities for Harris. Voters prefer Trump when it comes to whom they trust to handle the economy and immigration, issues that remain central to the presidential race.

Harris’s numbers are an upswing for Democrats from Biden’s performance in those states, even before his much-maligned debate showing that destabilised his candidacy. In May, Biden was virtually tied with Trump in Times/Siena polling in Wisconsin and Michigan. Polling conducted before and after the debate in July showed Trump with a narrow lead in Pennsylvania.

Much of the newfound Democratic strength stems from improved voter perceptions of Harris.

New York Times News Service