Early voting begins in Nebraska and Washington, DC
FOX NewsSep 17
Polls: Trump Ahead in Florida, Harris Ahead Nationally
Above: Democratic presidential nominee, US Vice Pres. Kamala Harris, greets Republican presidential nominee, former US Pres. Donald Trump honoring the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2024 in New York City. Image copyright: Michael M. Santiago/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
In a new Marist poll, Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump leads Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in Florida by 51%-47%, though Harris leads among Florida independent voters by 55%-41%.
This comes as a recent New York Times/Sienna College poll shows Trump ahead 55%-41% in Florida and 50%-44% in Texas, which hold a combined 70 electoral college votes. Meanwhile, the poll shows Harris leading nationally 49%-46%.
The Spin
Republican narrative
Kamala Harris only has a slight lead nationally, which means she's heading toward defeat if these swing state polls are accurate. As for anyone who balks at these numbers, they're being validated by internal Democratic Party polls — which means the Harris campaign is deeply concerned and reaching out for help.
Democratic narrative
A slight shift in a few polls is not a worry for Kamala Harris. Just a couple of weeks ago she was leading in all but one swing state, and she was even gaining ground on topics like immigration and the economy. Independent voters are going to decide this election, and Trump's personality will only continue to alienate the voters he needs most.