MINNEAPOLIS — Analysts say national polls that show how close the race is between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are not key indicators ahead of the election.
Instead, they say you should focus on polling in the Battlefield States since the winner of the presidency is not determined by the popular vote, but by the electoral college.
David Schultz, a professor at Hamline University, says nothing has really changed in months in national polls.
“Ignore all the national polls,” he said. “What’s really crucial to look at is the polls in swing states, and they’re close.”
States like Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin will likely decide the election, Schultz said.
Larry Jacobs, a professor at the University of Minnesota, said: “I think people should calm down about poll consumption…I think the key thing to know is that this race is as close as we have it seen. in 2016 and 2020.”
Democratic strategist Abou Amara said the polls are important for both campaigns because they always allow key decisions to be made on that basis.
“Polls drive almost every campaign decision,” Amara said. “Where you’re going to campaign, who you’re going to talk to, what messages you want to send and when you’re going to do it.”
Republican strategist Amy Koch says national polls are meaningless.
“Trump was ahead in six of the seven battlegrounds,” she said. “If this continues, Trump will win this election.”
The latest election polls from CBS News still show that Harris maintains a slim lead in battleground states. However, Trump is one point closer to Harris nationally than the month before.
