Ignored by both the Democrat and Republican campaigns ahead during the Presidential primaries, Iowa now seems to hold the potential to become a swing state in the electoral battle between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.
The latest poll by Des Moines Register newspaper showed Ms Harris leading 47 percent to 44 percent over Mr Trump, buoyed by the support of women and independent voters. The latter was quick to reject the poll as “fake” and “skewed”. “One of my enemies just puts out a poll — I am 3 down. (Iowa Senator) Joni Ernst called me, everyone’s called me, they said you are killing in Iowa. The farmers love me and I love them,” he said at a rally in key battleground state of Pennsylvania.
Iowa, which was not a battleground state ahead of the November 5 US Presidential elections, was not on the itineraries of the two nominees, who made multiple campaign visits to the seven swing states ― Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
More than 75 million Americans have already cast their votes as of Sunday, according to the University of Florida’s Election Lab that tracks early and mail-in voting across the US. The poll of 808 likely Iowa voters, which include those who have already voted as well as those who say they definitely plan to vote, was conducted from October 28 to 31, Des Moines Register said.
Women, especially those who are 65 and older and those who self-identify as independents, are spearheading the shift to Ms Harris, the poll shows. Senior women support the Democrat over the Republican nominee 63 percent to 28 percent, and women who are political independents favor Ms Harris by 57 percent to 29 percent. Mr Trump maintains large margins with groups that are core to his base: men, rural Iowans and those who describe themselves as evangelical.
Interestingly, though the state was clinched by Mr Trump by nearly 10 points in each of the last two elections. That, however, does not qualify it as a Republican stronghold as it was bagged by Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012.
In the election campaign, Ms Harris has been projecting the election as the one to protect the country’s fundamental freedoms, safeguard constitutional values and ensure women’s rights. Mr Trump has been promising to rebuild the economy and rid the US from illegal migration.
