Harris and Trump neck and neck in new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll

A poll taken yesterday and released today by NPR/PBS News and the Marist Poll shows that among registered voters nationally, Donald Trump receives 46% of the vote compared with 45% for Vice President Kamala Harris. Nine percent are undecided. Independents break 46% for Trump to 32% for Harris, with 21% of independents being undecided.

When additional candidates are added to the mix, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Cornel West, Jill Stein, and Chase Oliver, Trump and Harris tie at 42% each.

The polling was conducted at the Marist Institute for Public Opinion on the campus of Marist College in Poughkeepsie. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.5%.

When asked to name preferences for a vice presidential candidate to run with Harris, Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents favored Gretchen Whitmer and Pete Buttigieg, each with 21%. Josh Shapiro follows with 17%, Mark Kelly receives 13%, 8% favor Roy Cooper, 7% want J.B. Pritzker. Andy Beshear and Wes Moore each get 6%.

“Looking at the toplines after all that’s transpired this month, even though the names have changed, the contest for president all looks very familiar,” said Lee M. Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion. “But drilling down into the numbers tells a different story as more voters are undecided and others may be rethinking their choice.”

The poll found that 40% of residents nationally have a favorable view of Harris to 44% unfavorable, while 15% have either never heard of Harris or are unsure how to rate her.

When it came to Trump, 43% had a favorable impression of him while 49% had an unfavorable impression. Eight percent were unsure about the impression they have of Trump.

The poll found that 87% of Americans think Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race was the right thing to do while 12% believe it was the wrong thing to do.