New polling puts Harris ahead of Trump in key swing states
Plus, a Wisconsin legislator pushes an “abortion reversal drug.”
A new survey conducted by The New York Times and Siena College Poll found Vice President Kamala Harris passing former President Donald Trump in Heartland states like Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan.
In all three states, Harris leads Trump with 50% of likely voters polled preferring Harris to Trump’s 46%. Such results strike a contrast with President Joe Biden’s polling just last month, where he trailed Trump by 3 points in Pennsylvania, 7 points in Michigan and had only a 2-point lead over his rival in Wisconsin.
Even more encouraging for Harris and the Democratic Party is the enthusiasm voters are expressing for the ticket now that Biden is no longer the nominee: That same poll revealed that 87% of Democrats and 60% of Independents in the states above are satisfied with Harris, compared to the 60% of Democrats and 45% of Independents polled on Biden in May.
Maybe even more noteworthy was how voters in these states expressed confidence in Harris on an interpersonal level. Voters in all three Heartland states seemed to find Harris more relatable, trustworthy and less alienating.
Harris is also slowly outpacing Trump on crucial issues like the economy. Over the weekend, a Financial Times and the University of Michigan Ross School of Business poll noted that Harris now has a one-point advantage over Trump when voters are asked who they trust more to manage the economy. That same poll saw Biden behind Trump by seven points.
The polling pivot that’s been underway since Harris replaced Biden appears to be making Trump nervous. Per Maggie Haberman at the New York Times, the GOP’s leading man sees the maneuver as evidence (it is not) that the Democrats are trying to cheat him out of a victory in November.
“Mr. Trump told one aide that Democrats were trying to ‘steal’ the election again from him — comparing the reshuffling of the Democratic ticket to when state legislatures changed voting rules midway through the 2020 election cycle because of the Covid pandemic,” Haberman reported.
By Richard Eberwein
In 2019, Wisconsin state Rep. Pat Snyder (R-Wausau) introduced a bill that would have forced doctors to inform patients about untested “abortion reversal treatment” that is highly experimental and not backed by medical experts.
Snyder and his Republican colleagues introduced Assembly Bill 180 in April 2019. In the case of a patient seeking an abortion through drugs like mifepristone, AB 180 would have forced doctors to include information about untested regiments to “continue the pregnancy” if the patient changes their mind.
The Wisconsin Medical Society opposed the provision, saying at the time it was “dubious” to refer women to these kinds of services.
“Referring women to outside organizations promoting this type of treatment is dubious, as ‘reversal’ procedures have not undergone needed evidence-based research. Indeed, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists does not support claims that this type of treatment is safe and/or effective,” the testimony reads.
This bill was vetoed by Gov. Tony Evers (D).
Snyder also supported a 14-week abortion ban in Wisconsin when he voted for Assembly Bill 975 this past January. The 67-year-old legislator also proposed legislation to allow taxpayers to claim unborn fetuses as dependents and a bill to punish healthcare providers who perform abortions.
Snyder’s record on abortion has garnered him support from anti-abortion groups like Wisconsin Right to Life because he supports the organization’s “legislative strategy.” Last year, a spokesperson for Wisconsin Right to Life said her group does not support rape or incest exceptions for abortion bans, and the group only supports “medical emergency” exceptions.
Snyder has served in the Wisconsin House of Representatives since 2017. After Evers signed new legislative maps into law earlier this year, Snyder and other Republicans are facing more legitimate challenges to their majority than they’ve seen in over a decade. The 29-year-old nonprofit executive Yee Leng Xiong will challenge Snyder for control of Wisconsin’s 85th Assembly District, which is now considered a tossup.