Donald Trump is demonstrating strong support among voters in the Sun Belt, many of whom credit the former president and Republican candidate with making positive changes to their lives during his administration.
These voters express concerns that Kamala Harris, the current vice president, may not deliver the same outcomes if she wins the presidential race in November.
A series of fresh polls conducted by The New York Times and Siena College across three critical states shows Trump leading in Arizona and retaining an edge in Georgia—two states that President Joe Biden secured in the 2020 election.
In contrast, Harris is running closely behind Trump in North Carolina, with the results falling within the poll’s margin of error. The state hasn’t supported a Democratic candidate for president since 2008.
In Arizona, Trump holds a 50% to 45% lead over Harris, with a notable 10% of Latino voters remaining undecided.
The survey found that in Georgia, 49% of voters are backing Trump, while 45% favor Harris. North Carolina presents the tightest race, with Trump receiving 49% of the vote and Harris 47%.
Voters in the Sun Belt are not only concerned about their personal situations but also about the direction of the country, with many fearing that the U.S. is on the brink of significant challenges. A notable gap exists between Republicans and Democrats on this issue, with 72% of Republicans believing the nation is at risk of collapse, compared to only 16% of Democrats.
In a reflection of the unpredictability of the presidential race, approximately 15% of voters in Arizona, Georgia, and North Carolina remain undecided. The polls show that while these voters leaned toward Harris last month, they now show a slight shift in favor of Trump.
A significant portion of Sun Belt voters, 31%, cited economic issues or inflation as their primary concern, with 55% of this group expressing more confidence in Trump’s ability to address these challenges. Meanwhile, 42% believed Harris would be better suited for the task.
Harris has criticized Trump for his role in appointing the Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade—the ruling that had guaranteed the constitutional right to abortion. Despite this, fewer voters identified the issue as their main concern.
Among key issues, abortion and immigration ranked highest, with 16% of likely voters each citing these topics as top priorities. Trump is trusted more on immigration, with 54% backing his stance, compared to 43% who prefer Harris’s approach. However, on the issue of abortion, Harris holds the advantage, with 53% favoring her position over Trump’s 41%.
The margin of error for likely voters across the three states is reported as 2.5 percentage points.
The Arizona poll included responses from 713 registered voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.
In Georgia, the poll surveyed 682 registered voters and has a margin of error of 4.6 percentage points.
The North Carolina poll gathered data from 682 registered voters and has a margin of error of 4.2 percentage points.
These polls were conducted between September 17 and September 21.
{Matzav.com}