Axelrod Warns Democrats: Harris’ Lead Over Trump is Slim and Uncertain 

United States: Democratic strategist David Axelrod cautioned the party against becoming overly confident about Vice President Harris’s slight national lead over former President Trump, noting that the Republican contender “may well” prevail if the election were held today. 

Axelrod, who had been a leading voice earlier this summer advocating for President Biden to withdraw from the race, remarked that the Democratic Party finds itself in a stronger position heading into November with Harris as its likely nominee, according to The Hill. 

“Listen, she [Harris] has made remarkable strides. We were all in Milwaukee [for the Republican National Convention] a month ago, and there was an air of euphoria, a belief that this race was practically over, that they would win in a landslide, possibly securing substantial majorities in both the House and Senate,” Axelrod commented during a CNN panel. 

At that time, Trump maintained a robust lead both nationally and in key swing states over Biden. 

“However, the landscape has shifted dramatically” over the past four weeks, following Biden’s exit from the race and Harris’s ascension to the top of the Democratic ticket, Axelrod added. 

Even so, Axelrod suggested that it’s premature to declare the race in favor of Harris, who holds a slim lead over the former president in some national polls. 

“But this remains a fiercely competitive race. If the election were held today, I’m not certain who would emerge victorious, and it’s possible that it could be President Trump, given the nature of the Electoral College battle,” Axelrod stated, as per The Hill.  

“I’ve mentioned multiple times that, for a Democrat to secure victory in those battleground states, they need a substantial lead in the Electoral College,” he continued. “Recall that Joe Biden won by 7 million votes nationwide last time, yet his margin in the three closest battleground states combined was just 45,000 or 44,000 votes.” 

While millions will cast their votes in the general election this fall, a mere handful of pivotal swing states will likely determine the outcome. 

“So, she’s [Harris] correct in encouraging enthusiasm. That enthusiasm is vitally important for the Democratic Party,” Axelrod noted. “But that enthusiasm must be translated into active, vigorous efforts to secure the election. That’s a key message you’ll hear.” 

Though Harris currently holds a razor-thin lead over Trump in various national polls, the two have been nearly even in polling from crucial swing states. 

A survey published over the weekend by The New York Times/Siena College revealed that Harris leads Trump by 5 points in Arizona, 50 percent to 45 percent, and by 2 points in North Carolina, 49 percent to 47 percent, as per The Hill.  

In Nevada and Georgia, Harris has significantly closed the gap with the former president. Trump leads the vice president by a narrow margin in Nevada, 48 percent to 47 percent, and in Georgia, 50 percent to 46 percent, according to the poll. 

A CBS News/YouGov poll released Sunday shows Harris and Trump locked in a dead heat across seven battleground states.