Democrat presidential nominee Kamala Harris' lead over Republican Donald Trump was cut to 1 point before their first presidential debate, according to a Marist poll released Tuesday.
Harris leads Trump 49% to 48% among registered voters, down from a 3-point margin when the survey was last conducted in early August, according to the poll.
Among those who said they definitely plan to vote, Harris' lead over Trump jumps to 51% to 48%, according to Tuesday's survey.
Trump cut into Harris' lead on the strength of two major swings among independent and Latino voters, the survey said. Trump leads Harris 51% to 47% among Latinos, a 19-point swing from August. Trump now holds a 49% to 46% lead among independents, a 14-point shift since August, according to the survey.
Regarding Tuesday night's debate, 70% of those surveyed said they will watch most if not all of it, with 30% of registered voters saying the debate will help them decide their vote, according to the poll.
"When Trump and Harris square off in Philadelphia, the stakes are sky high because the contest is so close," Dr. Lee M. Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion, said in the analysis. "Only single digits separate the candidates on most of the issues important to voters. But voters who value honesty are overwhelmingly for Harris, and voters looking for strong leadership are mostly in Trump's corner. Will this still be the case on Wednesday morning?"
Harris leads Trump 72% to 26% on honesty and trustworthiness, while Trump leads Harris 75% to 25% on being a strong leader, according to the poll.
Trump leads on the issues of immigration, the economy, and the Middle East, while Harris is seen as the better candidate on abortion, according to the survey.
Maris surveyed 1,529 adults and 1,413 registered voters from Sept. 3-5. The poll has a margin of error of 3.3 points among the registered voters. No confidence level was provided.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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