Vice President Kamala Harris has taken a lead over former President Donald Trump, thanks to a standout performance in a recent debate. According to the latest Yahoo News/YouGov poll, Harris is now leading Trump by five percentage points among registered voters. This marks her largest lead yet.
The poll, conducted shortly after the debate on September 10, surveyed 1,755 U.S. adults. It shows Harris with 50% support in a direct matchup against Trump, who has 45%. Even with third-party candidates in the mix, Harris remains in front with 48% compared to Trump’s 44%. Among likely voters, Harris has a similar lead of 49% to 45%.
Before the debate, Harris and Trump were in a tight race. In August, Harris had a narrow 47% to 46% lead. The debate seems to have shifted the views of crucial swing voters, giving Harris a noticeable boost.
Harris’s rise in the polls highlights her growing appeal among important voter groups. She is performing better than President Joe Biden did in previous polls. Harris now receives 95% of Democratic support, up from Biden’s 90%, and she secures 92% of votes from those who backed Biden in 2020, an increase from 80%.
Harris has also gained more support among various groups, including Latin Americans (+4 points), women (+5 points), Black Americans (+14 points), and voters aged 18-29 (+17 points). This suggests she is attracting a wider range of voters.
One major change is among independent voters, who are crucial in any election. Before the debate, Harris trailed Trump by nine points among independents (35% to 44%). After the debate, Harris now leads Trump by ten points (47% to 37%). This shift could be key in future matchups.
The Yahoo News/YouGov poll shows that the debate helped Harris gain favor with voters. Among those who watched or followed the debate, 56% thought Harris won, compared to 26% who thought Trump did better. A significant 94% of Democrats felt Harris outperformed Trump, while only 57% of Republicans supported Trump.
Harris was seen as more “presidential” (51% to 35%) and “coherent” (50% to 29%) compared to Trump. Many found Trump to be “insulting” and “untruthful.”
Harris is gaining momentum, with 46% of voters saying the debate improved their view of her, while only 20% felt the same about Trump. Only 15% of independents reported a better opinion of Trump post-debate.
As Harris continues to build her lead, the key question is whether this support will last until Election Day. Trump has declined additional debates, but Harris is ready for more. It remains to be seen if her current advantage will hold.
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