Recent polling data suggests that Vice President Kamala Harris's lead in Minnesota has significantly decreased following her selection of Governor Tim Walz as her running mate.
According to a report from Breitbart News, Harris's once comfortable 10-point advantage over former President Donald Trump has been reduced to just 5 points.
The shift in polling numbers comes after a series of significant events, including Harris's selection of Walz as her vice presidential candidate and the Democratic National Convention. Despite these potentially favorable developments for the Harris campaign, the latest KTSP/SurveyUSA poll indicates a tightening race in Minnesota, a state traditionally considered a Democratic stronghold.
In July, shortly after Harris assumed the role of the Democratic presidential nominee, a KTSP/SurveyUSA poll showed her with a substantial lead over Trump in Minnesota. The poll, conducted between July 23-25, placed Harris at 50 percent support compared to Trump's 40 percent, giving her a 10-point advantage.
However, the landscape appears to have shifted in the weeks following. The same polling organization conducted another survey from August 27-29, after the Democratic National Convention and Harris's selection of Walz as her running mate. This more recent poll shows Harris's support at 48 percent, with Trump at 43 percent.
The change in polling numbers suggests that despite the convention and the addition of Walz to the ticket, Harris's position in Minnesota may not be as secure as previously thought. The 5-point lead, while still favoring Harris, represents a significant narrowing of the gap between the two candidates.
The tightening of the race in Minnesota could have broader implications for the national election landscape. Minnesota, typically considered a reliably Democratic state in presidential elections, now appears to be more competitive than initially anticipated.
This shift is particularly noteworthy given that it occurred after events that would typically be expected to boost a candidate's standing, such as a national convention and the announcement of a vice presidential pick. The fact that Harris's lead has decreased rather than increased during this period may be cause for concern within her campaign.
Furthermore, the article points out that in the RealClearPolitics average of Minnesota polls, Trump is only trailing by 5.5 points. This average aligns closely with the most recent KTSP/SurveyUSA poll, potentially indicating a consistent trend rather than an outlier result.
The article draws a comparison between the current Harris-Trump polls and earlier Biden-Trump polls before Biden's withdrawal from the race. It suggests that once the race stabilizes, the Harris-Trump polls may begin to resemble the previous Biden-Trump polls.
This comparison raises the possibility that the race could become even more competitive as it progresses. The article notes that Trump was leading Biden in some polls before Biden's debate performance, which led to a significant drop in his support.
Additionally, the piece highlights Virginia as another state to watch, citing recent polls showing Harris with only a narrow lead in a state that Biden won by a substantial margin in 2020.
In conclusion, the latest polling data from Minnesota indicates a significant narrowing of Kamala Harris's lead over Donald Trump following her selection of Tim Walz as her running mate. Despite recent events that might have been expected to boost Harris's standing, including the Democratic National Convention, her advantage has decreased from 10 points to 5 points. This shift suggests that Minnesota, traditionally a Democratic stronghold, may be more competitive in the upcoming election than previously anticipated.
