Harris leads Trump slightly after Biden exit- Reuters/Ipsos poll By Investing.com

Investing.com– Vice President Kamala Harris gained a slight lead over Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump after President Joe Biden pulled out of the election race and endorsed her as the Democratic frontrunner, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.

The poll showed Harris leading Trump 44% to 42%, and was conducted between July 22 and July 23. It has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.

Harris had swiftly consolidated support within the Democratic party after her endorsement by Biden, and was on Monday seen having enough delegates to clinch the party’s nomination. She raised a record-breaking $81 million in the 24 hours after her endorsement, and campaigned in the key battleground state of Wisconsin on Tuesday.

But she will still need to be officially nominated either during the Democratic National Convention in August, or if the party decides to hold a virtual roll call. Harris is also yet to pick a running mate. 

Top picks for her running mate include U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear. 

Harris, 59, is the former Attorney General of California, and was touted as the Democratic presidential nominee by several members of the party even before Biden’s pulling out. 

The Reuters/Ipsos poll found 83% of registered voters polled supported Biden leaving the race, especially after Democratic party members and donors raised concerns over his mental health and his ability to effectively run against Trump.

Trump had said that Harris would be easier to defeat after Biden’s dropping out. More recently, he also said he was open to multiple debates with Harris.

He was officially nominated as the Republican presidential candidate at the Republican National Convention last week, and had picked Ohio senator J.D. Vance as his running mate.

Trump was seen polling ahead of Biden and Harris according to CBS and HarrisX data last week. But this was before Biden dropped out of the race.