Tight Race Emerges as Trump and Harris Compete in Final Stretch of Presidential Campaign

 

With less than two weeks until Election Day, a recent CNBC poll shows a close contest between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris, with both candidates in a virtual tie among registered voters both nationally and in key battleground states. Trump currently holds a slight edge on economic issues, while Harris leads on character-related aspects, such as honesty and “fitness to be president.”

In the CNBC "All-America Economic Survey," 48% of registered voters expressed support for Trump, while 46% back Harris—a slim 2-point margin, well within the poll's 3.1% margin of error. Trump’s lead is unchanged from CNBC's August poll and aligns with recent findings from NBC News showing both candidates locked at 48%.

In battleground states including Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, Trump holds a narrow 1-point advantage over Harris, polling at 48% to her 47%. Pollsters point to inflation as a dominant issue, with 63% of respondents saying rising costs have impacted their family’s financial security. Nearly half identified it as a top election concern.

According to the survey, Harris leads Trump by 13 points on qualifications related to mental and physical readiness for the presidency and by 10 points on trustworthiness. Trump, however, holds a 7-point advantage on economic strength, with additional leads on tax issues and support for small businesses. Financial considerations also weigh heavily among voters: 42% believe they would fare better economically under Trump, while 24% think Harris would improve their financial standing. Meanwhile, 29% foresee no change in their financial situation regardless of the election outcome.

When asked about who would bring the most positive change, 42% of voters chose Harris, 40% opted for Trump, while 5% saw both as capable of positive impact, and 9% felt neither would bring beneficial change to the country.

Trump’s popularity rating is also marginally higher than Harris’, with 42% positive and 48% negative for Trump, compared to 39% positive and 49% negative for Harris.