WASHINGTON: Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump remain in a tight contest across seven battleground states with just over two weeks until the November 5 US presidential election, a Washington Post/Schar School opinion poll showed on Monday. Democratic former prosecutor Harris led among likely voters in Georgia 51 percent to 47 percent, while Republican Trump was slightly ahead in Arizona with 49 percent to 46 percent. Both findings fell within the plus or minus 4.5 percentage points margin of error in the poll, which surveyed 5,016 registered voters from September 30 to October 15.

Harris, who became the party’s candidate after President Joe Biden stepped aside in July, also had an edge in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin — three states where she will campaign later on Monday with Republican former US Representative Liz Cheney. Trump led in North Carolina and was tied with Harris in Nevada 48 percent to 48 percent, according to the poll. The former president will hold a rally in North Carolina later on Monday after surveying recent damage from Hurricane Helene.

Trump, 78, is making his third consecutive White House bid after losing to Biden in 2020. He continues to falsely blame widespread voter fraud and faces federal and state criminal charges over efforts to overturn the election results, among other charges. Trump has denied any wrongdoing. Harris, 60, is a former San Francisco prosecutor, state attorney general and US senator seeking to rebuild the party’s diverse coalition of young voters, women and people of color as well as pick up some Republicans disillusioned with Trump.

Monday’s findings from the Post and George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government echoed other recent polls that found a neck and neck race in the seven battleground states ahead of Election Day on November 5, even as Harris holds an edge nationwide, according to some surveys. Overall, 49 percent of likely voters said they support Harris and 48 percent backed Trump, the Post poll showed. Among registered voters, Reuters/Ipsos polling last week found Harris holding a steady, marginal 45 percent to 42 percent lead over Trump. However, state-by-state results of the Electoral College will determine the winner of November’s contest. The seven battleground states are likely to decisive, with surveys of their likely voters offering an indication of the race so far. — Reuters