Vice President Kamala Harris is gaining momentum as she opens an 8-point lead over former President Donald Trump in Maine, according to a new University of New Hampshire poll released Friday. With just 100 days remaining before the November election, this significant boost highlights Harris’s growing popularity in the state.
The poll reveals Harris leading with 48 percent of voter support, while Trump trails at 40 percent. Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. garners 4 percent, and third-party candidates Jill Stein and Cornel West each receive 1 percent.
This surge follows President Biden’s recent withdrawal from the presidential race, a move that has evidently resonated positively with Maine voters. Notably, 48 percent of respondents expressed relief over Biden’s exit, including a substantial 50 percent of both Democrats and independents.
The poll also underscores Harris’s impressive performance across Maine’s Electoral College districts. In the southern 1st District, known for its liberal leanings, Harris enjoys a commanding 20-point lead. Conversely, in the northern 2nd District, traditionally a Trump stronghold, the former president leads by a narrow 4 points.
This rise in support is a marked improvement from April, when Biden led by only 2 points in a similar poll, reflecting a notable shift in voter sentiment. Harris now enjoys a higher approval rating than both Trump and Biden, with 42 percent of voters viewing her favorably compared to Trump’s 36 percent and Biden’s 34 percent.
Trump’s vice presidential pick, Ohio Senator JD Vance lags behind all of them, with less than a third of the electorate viewing him favorably.
As Harris prepares for the general election, the choice of her running mate remains a topic of interest. In Maine, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and former astronaut Senator Mark Kelly are frontrunners, with 21 percent and 17 percent of voters respectively supporting their selection.
The poll, conducted between Tuesday and Thursday with 1,502 eligible voters, carries a margin of error of 2.5 percent. This latest data signals a promising trajectory for Harris’s campaign as she builds momentum heading into the final stretch before Election Day.
