Survey: Trump More Popular Than Harris In Must-Win Swing State

Former President Donald Trump received more positive news with the release of a battleground state survey on Tuesday.

The poll, conducted by Elon College between August 2 and August 9, surveyed 800 registered voters in North Carolina ahead of the Democratic National Convention. It found that Trump holds a slight edge over Vice President Kamala Harris, leading by a margin of 46% to 44%.

However, it's important to note that both candidates are viewed unfavorably by a majority of respondents. “Our favorability data shows Trump and Harris with competitive levels of support,” stated Professor Jason Husser, the director of the Elon University Poll.

According to the New York Post:

Trump enjoys stronger support among men, with a 50% approval rating. Harris, on the other hand, trails with just 39% approval among men. Meanwhile, 47% of women view Harris favorably, compared to 43% for Trump.

Trump’s strongest support comes from voters without a four-year college degree, where he has a 52% approval rating and a 43% disapproval rating, with another 5% remaining undecided.

Among independent voters, Trump has a 35% approval rating, 54% disapproval, and 11% undecided. Harris’s approval ratings among independents are similar, with 34% approval, 51% disapproval, and 15% undecided.

The pollster suggests that these figures indicate North Carolina will be highly competitive in the coming weeks.

“Having been won by Republican presidential candidates for three elections in a row, North Carolina is sometimes called into question as a swing state,” Husser explained. “Our data show that North Carolina’s electoral votes remain up for grabs by either party, but winning those votes will involve navigating a divided, complex, and engaged electorate.”

While this poll gives Trump a slight advantage, other surveys suggest Harris may have some positives in the state.

A Survey USA poll from High Point University, conducted between August 19 and 21, shows Harris with a “whisker-thin” lead, ahead by 3 points among registered voters and 2 points among likely voters.

Additionally, the FiveThirtyEight polling average for the state shows Harris leading by the slimmest margin possible, just one-tenth of a percentage point, according to the New York Post.

In another event, patrons at a northern Virginia restaurant specializing in Vietnamese cuisine broke out in loud cheers when Trump visited on Monday, according to reports.

The 45th president visited Truong Tien Vietnamese Restaurant in Falls Church, Virginia, accompanied by Hung Cao, a U.S. Senate candidate in Virginia. Cao, a Naval Academy graduate and combat veteran, is challenging incumbent Democrat Senator Tim Kaine.

Earlier that day, Cao joined Trump when the former president laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. The wreath honored the 13 service members who lost their lives in a suicide bomb attack at Abbey Gate in Kabul, Afghanistan, during the chaotic withdrawal of American forces under Biden’s administration, as reported by the Western Journal.

Cao stood by Trump as they entered the restaurant, where the room erupted in cheers and applause.

“Somehow, I don’t know what it is — you’ll have to explain it — the Vietnamese community loves me, and I love them,” Trump said, prompting even louder cheers and a chant of “USA! USA! USA!”

“In Florida, we go down and we have large groups of people, always dressed perfectly, with the red and the silver. I say, ‘You’re the most beautiful dressers I’ve ever seen,’” he added.

Turning to the Senate candidate, Trump said: “I love his name — Hung Cao. I love that name, and that name alone should get you elected.”

“We’re looking to win the state,” Trump continued, “which is not necessarily good for Republicans, but I’m not an average Republican, and neither are you.” After their remarks, one customer shouted, “Make America great again!”

Trump then signed autographs, with one person telling him, “We will fight for you, sir,” and another declaring, “We need you for the next four years.”

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