Harris leads Trump on

Washington — Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are locked in a decent race in three key battleground states heading into their first debate on Tuesday, however Harris leads in a few areas. One is the “pleasure issue”: Democrats in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin are extra enthusiastic about what they’ve seen from Harris’ marketing campaign just lately than Republicans are about what they’ve seen from Trump’s, in keeping with a brand new CBS Information ballot.

Eighty-nine % of Democrats in Michigan, 82% in Pennsylvania and 87% in Wisconsin say they’re excited by Harris marketing campaign. By comparability, amongst Republicans, 78% mentioned the identical of Trump in Michigan, 75% in Pennsylvania and 76% in Wisconsin. 

The adjustments on the high of the Democratic ticket that adopted President Biden’s departure from the marketing campaign in July upended the race simply months to go earlier than Election Day, as Democrats try to proceed to capitalize on any momentum and maintain pleasure heading towards November. 

Now, Democrats within the three battleground states are additionally simply as possible as Republicans to say they are going to positively vote, as Harris has consolidated the votes among the many occasion’s base. However Trump leads within the states amongst some key points, together with the economic system and inflation.

In a nationwide survey performed earlier than Harris formally accepted the nomination final month, most Democrats have been excited in regards to the vp, and extra Democrats mentioned they’d vote since she grew to become the nominee. Her marketing campaign additionally introduced enormous fundraising numbers, $540 million for August, almost triple what Trump raised. However whether or not Harris can maintain the joy and channel it right into a lead within the battleground states stays to be seen. 

One measure that is very completely different since Mr. Biden and Trump confronted off in June is that now it is Harris who’s seen by extra as having the cognitive and psychological well being to serve, and Trump comparatively much less so. In Michigan, 64% say she has the cognitive and psychological well being to serve, in contrast with 47% for Trump. In Pennsylvania, it is Harris with 64% once more on this query and 49% for Trump. And in Wisconsin, Harris has her widest margin on Trump on this query, 68% to 48%. This was very completely different in CBS Information’ nationwide polling performed when Mr. Biden was nonetheless operating: 35% of registered voters thought he had the cognitive and psychological well being to serve, and 50% thought Trump did. 

Earlier this month, the Harris marketing campaign labored to tamp down expectations, saying that whereas “Individuals are energized behind that message,” citing fundraising success, volunteer pursuits and a “spike in enthusiasm,” the combat forward is a severe one. 

“Make no mistake,” Marketing campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon mentioned in a memo. “We head into the ultimate stretch of this race because the clear underdogs.”

contributed to this report.