WASHINGTON − Daigre Thomas was “undecided” over whether she’d vote this November until Kamala Harris replaced President Joe Biden atop the Democratic ticket.
Now, the newly energized Connecticut health care worker is ready to cast her ballot for the vice president − part of a major swing to Harris among Black, Hispanic and low-income Americans, according to a new USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll.
Low income voters − those making less than $20,000 a year − now support Harris over former President Donald Trump, 58%-35%, the biggest jump among all groups, according to the poll. It is a reversal from June, when Trump, at 39%, was three points ahead of Biden, at 36% with voters of this economic group.
Overall, Harris leads Trump, 48%-43%, according to the poll, which has a margin of error of 3.1%.
Thomas, who is Black, said Harris’ upbringing in a working-class neighborhood was cause for confidence. “We don’t have to tell her anything. She knows what’s going on,” she said. “She’s part of us so I think she’s gonna look out for us, especially the kids.”
Although her policy details have been sparse, Harris has talked about plans to increase housing affordability, raising the child care tax credit and addressing what she called price gouging on groceries.
Kamala Harris surges with younger voters
The poll’s overall findings reflect an eight-point turnaround in the race from late June, when Trump led Biden. Throughout the year, Biden trailed Trump by anywhere from half a percentage point to almost four points.
Harris’ slight lead is fueled by demographic groups including Black and Hispanic voters. Aside from low-income voters, Harris is also popular among moderate-income voters, those who make less than $50,000. With this group, Harris leads Trump by three points, 47%-44%, according the poll.
People who make less than $20,000 a year tend to be very young voters − those who are just starting out in the workplace or finishing their education − or older voters who are on a fixed income, said David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center.
Harris’ favorability rating with this group leaped 16 points, from 37% in June to 53%, in August.
The Democratic National Convention offered voters a chance to learn more about Harris and helped raise Harris’ profile, Paleologos said. Since the poll was completed after the convention, it explains some of the gains in Harris’ popularity, he said.
“For the older people who may sit at home and watch TV, they were shaped by opinions of her through the eyes of Michelle Obama and Bill Clinton,” he said.
The Harris team’s savvy use of social media has helped generate buzz among younger voters, Paleologos said.
Black voters also seem to be energized by Harris’s candidacy. Their support for Harris leaped 17 percentage points over Biden, from 47 points to 64 points.
But the most significant rise came from among lower-income voters.
Two months ago, John Pike, a retiree from Madison, Wisconsin, who makes $18,000 a year, had no intention of voting in the presidential election.
Pike, a registered Democrat, said he was “disillusioned and disappointed” at his options.
“A choice between either Joseph Biden or Donald Trump, and I didn’t feel either one of them were a very good choice,” he said.
“Kamala Harris seems to be a very intelligent woman. She’s been a very able prosecutor, a very able district attorney, and a good vice president,” he said. “And I think she will make a very good president.”
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY
