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New polls reveal state of Trump v Harris race in critical battleground states Pennsylvania and Arizona

Still all to play for in two crucial battleground states for both vice president and former president

Oliver O'Connell
New York
Saturday 12 October 2024 20:16 BST
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Related video: Comedian laughs in Trump’s face when he claims ‘he is basically a truthful person’

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With just over three weeks until election day, a new pair of polls from the key battleground states of Arizona and Pennsylvania tell very different stories for both the Harris and Trump campaigns.

The New York Times/Philadelphia Inquirer/Siena College polls show Donald Trump holding a six-point lead in Arizona. At the same time, Kamala Harris has a four-point lead in Pennsylvania when using unrounded figures.

Trump has 51 percent of support among likely voters in Arizona to Harris’s 46 percent, while 2,000 miles away in Pennsylvania, the vice president appears to be consolidating a lead of 50 percent to Trump’s 47 percent, having led in that state for the third consecutive poll.

However, the Times notes that neither candidate can rest on their laurels over the coming weeks, warning that victory is far from secured for either Harris or Trump, with other surveys from high-quality pollsters showing tighter races in both states.

According to the Times polling averages, Trump is ahead by just two percentage points in Arizona, and Harris is ahead by just one point in Pennsylvania.

Both states also feature hotly contested Senate contests with the Democratic candidate in each holding a clear advantage, according to the new polling.

Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris arrives to speak during a campaign rally in Chandler, Arizona, on October 10 2024. New poll shows Harris has a four-point lead in Pennsylvania
Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris arrives to speak during a campaign rally in Chandler, Arizona, on October 10 2024. New poll shows Harris has a four-point lead in Pennsylvania (AFP via Getty Images)

In Pennsylvania, Senator Bob Casey holds a slim lead against David McCormick, a Republican businessman, 48 percent to 44 percent, however, McCormick’s four-point deficit is down from nine points last month, and eight percent of voters said they are still undecided.

In Arizona’s Senate contest, Democratic Representative Ruben Gallego is maintaining his lead over Kari Lake, the fiercely loyal Trump ally and a former television anchor, 48 percent to 41 percent. However, in that race as much as 10 percent of voters say they are still undecided.

Both Harris and running mate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz spent much of the week campaigning in Arizona and this weekend First Lady Jill Biden is holding events in the state.

Republican vice presidential candidate Senator JD Vance was also in Arizona earlier in the week before heading to Pennsylvania where Trump was also campaigning.

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