New National Poll: Kamala Harris Pulls Near Even With Joe Biden In Democratic Presidential Race

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A new national Quinnipiac University poll, released Tuesday, July 2, shows Biden, who once led the field by around 20 points, now clinging to a two-point lead over California Sen. Kamala Harris, 22 percent to 20 percent.

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren follows at 14 percent, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is at 13 percent, and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg at four percent, according to the poll. None of the other 20-plus candidates topped three percent. 

A June 11 Quinnipiac poll had Biden at 30 percent, Sanders at 19 percent, Warren with 15 percent, Buttigieg at eight percent and Harris with seven percent. 

Harris' popularity has skyrocketed after a strong performance in last week's Thursday, June 27 debate in which she directly challenged Biden over remarks he made about having worked with segregationist senators decades ago to get bills passed and over his stance on school busing.

Forty percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters say they watched most of the debates. Another 40 percent paid close attention to news stories about the debates. Of those who did one or the other, 47 percent say Harris did the best job in the recent debates, followed by Warren at 17 percent, Biden at six percent, and Sanders at five percent. 

"Round 1 of the Democratic debates puts Sen. Kamala Harris and former Vice President Joe Biden on two different trajectories, as support for Harris surges but continues to slip for Biden. Biden's once commanding lead has evaporated," said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Mary Snow."There are other red flags for him in areas where he still leads, including double-digit drops among Democrats and Democratic leaners who view him as the best leader, or as the best candidate to defeat President Trump in 2020."

Democrats and Democratic leaners were also asked which candidate they thought had the best chance of winning against President Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election, regardless of who they support in the primary. Biden tops the field with 42 percent, which is a drop from the 56 percent that he received on April 30. Harris comes in a distant second with 14 percent in the latest poll, but up from two percent in April. Sanders receives 13 percent, and no other candidate reached double digits.

When asked who would be the best leader, Biden again tops the field with 26 percent, an 18-point drop from the 44 percent he received the last time this question was asked. Harris finishes second with 16 percent, up from six percent in April. Sanders and Warren are tied with 15 percent, while no other candidate hit double digits. 

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