Peaked too soon? Poll puts Harris behind Trump ahead of debate

The surge in support for Kamala Harris has faded, with a third of Americans wanting to learn more about her a new poll suggests, in the run-up to Wednesday’s televised debate.

Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Mosinee, Wisconsin. Picture: Getty Images via AFP.

The surge in support for Kamala Harris has faded, a new poll suggests, leaving Donald Trump ahead in the run-up to what may be the only televised debate between the candidates, scheduled for Wednesday (AEST).

For the first time in a month Trump is narrowly ahead, with 48 to 47 per cent support nationwide among those likely to vote, according to the New York Times/Siena College poll. It also showed that nearly a third of Americans felt that they needed to learn more about Harris and where she stands on the issues that matter to voters. Only 9 per cent felt that way about Trump.

A survey by CBS News of voters in three swing states showed Harris ahead by a single point in Michigan and Wisconsin, and tied with Trump in the crucial battleground of Pennsylvania. A YouGov poll last week, commissioned by The Times, put Harris ahead in four swing states and Trump in three.

Wednesday’s television debate, in Philadelphia, will be held without a studio audience, but with a vast one watching at home.

Trump has repeatedly warned – without evidence – that there may be widespread fraud in the coming election, and suggested that he may not accept the result if he loses. He went further at the weekend by declaring on his social media platform Truth Social, and on X, that he would, as president, target “Lawyers, Political Operatives, Donors, Illegal Voters, & Corrupt Election Officials” involved “in unscrupulous behaviour”.

They would be “prosecuted at levels, unfortunately, never seen before in our Country” and they would face “long term prison sentences”, he added.

Harris has been preparing for the debate in a hotel in Pittsburgh with Philippe Reines, a former aide to Hillary Clinton, playing the role of Trump in rehearsals. He is known for taking a meticulous approach, dressing up in a voluminous dark suit and a bright tie, and even wearing lifts in his shoes to boost his height.

Trump has more experience than any recent candidate in presidential debates, having taken part in six, and his team have maintained that he does not require “prep” but rather takes part in a series of policy discussions. However, Tulsi Gabbard, the former Democratic congresswoman who during the primary debates of 2019 landed blows on Harris’s record as a prosecutor, has said she is helping Trump to prepare. Several leading Republicans have urged him to focus on policy differences, rather than personal attacks.

Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina who was Trump’s most significant opponent in the primaries, said yesterday that she was “on standby” to help in his campaign if asked.

Liz Cheney, the former Republican congresswoman for Wyoming who became a Trump opponent after his supporters attacked the US Capitol, endorsed Harris for the presidency last week, as did her father, Dick, the former vice-president.

She urged those Republicans who were dismayed by Trump’s candidacy to do more than refrain from voting. “Given the closeness of this election, particularly if you’re going to find yourself voting in a swing state, you’ve got to take the extra step if you really do recognise the threat that Donald Trump poses,” she said. “It’s important for people to recognise he’s not a conservative,” she said.

The Siena College poll suggested that this may be an advantage for Trump. Only a third of voters appeared to feel that he was “too far to the right”, while 48 per cent believed that Harris was “too liberal”.

The Trump campaign hailed the poll as more accurate than other recent ones. “The simple truth is that when a survey reflects the actual electorate, President Trump is in the lead,” it said.

The Times