US Vice President Kamala Harris is now leading her Republican competitor, Donald Trump, by 5 points in a new NBC News poll related to the US election 2024. The latest survey conducted September 13 to 17 among 1,000 registered voters indicates a significant change in public opinion as the vice president begins her role as the Democratic Party's nominee for president. In fact, now she enjoys a positive opinion from 48 percent of the respondents; in July, it stood at just 32 percent. This is the largest single jump in politician ratings that NBC has tracked since President George W. Bush had a similar increase after the September 11 attacks.

Still, there's little change in the favorability ratings of Trump, 40 percent of those surveyed saying they view him positively, compared with 38 percent in July. A second, independent CBS News poll finds Harris by 4 percentage points among likely voters, based on results: Harris 52 percent; Trump 48 percent; margin of error: ±2 percentage points.

US election 2024: A highly competitive race ahead

These findings align with other national polls, even by Reuters/Ipsos, that point out the race between the two candidates as highly competitive and into its final week, with election day now on November 5.

While national surveys provide valuable insights, the state-by-state results of the Electoral College will ultimately determine the election outcome, with key battleground states expected to play a crucial role.

US election 2024
Image Source: U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Brazil

This is his third run for the White House in a row since he lost to Joe Biden in 2020, which he has accused was caused by wide-scale voter fraud, for which charges against him are ongoing at federal and state levels. Harris is a former U.S. senator and prosecutor who is now working under Biden. If she wins, Harris would be the first woman to become president of this country in its 248-year history.

Amy Walter, publisher and editor-in-chief of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, noted, “She’s been able to change this from a race that was a referendum on Joe Biden to a race that is a referendum on Donald Trump.”

Harris's recent debate performance and improving economic news have worked their way into her rising numbers, according to CBS, where her approval ticked up 2 percentage points after an even split in August. As the race heats up, both candidates will be working hard to sway undecided voters in the coming weeks.

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