An earlier version of this report mistakenly referenced a poll conducted last month. It has now been updated with the latest data.
WASHINGTON – Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris is currently leading Republican Donald Trump by a slim margin of 3 percentage points, with a new Reuters/Ipsos poll showing her at 46% compared to Trump’s 43%. The two candidates are locked in a competitive race as they approach the U.S. presidential election on November 5.
The four-day poll, which was completed on Monday, reveals a significant shift, with Trump narrowing the gap after trailing Harris by 6 points in a previous poll conducted from September 20-23. Many respondents indicated they prefer Trump for various economic issues, and some voters appear influenced by his claims that undocumented immigrants are more likely to commit crimes—claims largely refuted by experts and research organizations.
The poll has a margin of error of approximately plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Respondents identified the economy as the country’s most pressing issue, with 44% favoring Trump’s approach to addressing the “cost of living,” compared to 38% for Harris.
Regarding economic priorities, about 70% of participants stated that the cost of living is the top concern, while smaller percentages prioritized job creation, taxes, or overall financial improvement. Trump received more favorable ratings than Harris across these areas. However, voters believed Harris was the better candidate for addressing the income gap between the wealthy and average Americans, with 42% supporting her over 35% for Trump.
The poll indicates Trump is benefiting from rising concerns about immigration, which are reportedly at their highest levels in over a century. Approximately 53% of voters agreed with the statement that “immigrants who are in the country illegally pose a danger to public safety,” while 41% disagreed. This marks a shift from a May poll, where opinions were more evenly split.
Throughout his campaign, Trump has highlighted crimes committed by undocumented immigrants. However, research generally shows that immigrants do not have higher crime rates than native-born citizens.
Harris has maintained a lead over Trump in all six Reuters/Ipsos polls conducted since she entered the race in late July. The most recent survey shows her leading by 2 percentage points—47% to 45%—among likely voters. According to the Pew Research Center, about two-thirds of eligible voters participated in the 2020 presidential election.
Additionally, voters in the latest poll expressed greater confidence in Harris’s mental acuity, with 55% agreeing that she is “mentally sharp and able to deal with challenges,” compared to 46% for Trump.
While national polls like those conducted by Reuters/Ipsos provide valuable insights into voter sentiment, the election outcome will ultimately be determined by state-by-state results in the Electoral College. Both candidates are closely matched in key battleground states, with many results falling within the margin of error.
Harris entered the race after President Joe Biden suspended his reelection campaign following a poor debate performance against Trump in June. At that time, Trump was seen as the frontrunner, bolstered by perceptions of his economic strengths amid high inflation under the Biden administration.
The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll included responses from 1,272 U.S. adults surveyed online nationwide, including 1,076 registered voters, of whom 969 are deemed most likely to vote on Election Day.
