Trump keeps battleground state lead

Former President Donald Trump is maintaining his edge in key battleground states despite concerns from his own pollster that the replacement of Vice President Kamala Harris as the likely Democratic nominee would knock him out of the lead.

In the just-released Emerson College Polling-Hill newspaper survey, Trump lost a little ground but still leads the Democratic ticket in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, and Pennsylvania and is tied in Wisconsin.

Harris, who was endorsed by President Joe Biden when he bowed out of the race on Sunday, did gain support among younger voters, a trend cited in other polls.

But the survey did not show a massive shift feared by the Trump team and was in line with the new CNN survey that also showed Trump in the lead nationally, 49% to 46%.

The new survey showed that in Arizona, 49% support Trump, and 44% support Harris. In Georgia, 48% support Trump and 46% Harris. In Michigan, 46% support Trump and 45% Harris. In Pennsylvania, 48% support Trump and 46% Harris. In Wisconsin, 47% support Harris and Trump. 

“Harris has recovered a portion of the vote for the Democrats on the presidential ticket since the fallout after the June 27 debate,” said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling. “Harris’s numbers now reflect similar support levels to those of Biden back in March.”

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“Young voters have shifted toward Harris: Her support compared to Biden increased by 16 points in Arizona, 8 in Georgia, 5 in Michigan, 11 in Pennsylvania, and 1 in Wisconsin since earlier polling this month,” Kimball said.

The poll also showed that Harris has a better favorability rating than her boss, though it is underwater.