OLYMPIA, Wash. — Vive President Kamara Harris received 57% of the vote in an exclusive KING 5 News Poll, with former President Donald Trump down by over 20 points in Washington state.
According to the poll Wednesday, Trump received 35% of the vote, while 7% of respondents were undecided and 1% said they would be voting for another candidate.
KING 5, The Seattle Times and the University of Washington Center for an Informed Public commissioned the poll conducted by SurveyUSA.
Eighty-four percent of those who voted for Trump in 2020 said they will vote for him again in 2024, while 10% said they will switch to vote for Harris. Joe Biden's 2020 voters are much more firmly in Harris' camp, with 95% voting for her and just 3% switching to Trump, according to the poll. Harris took 97% of Democrats' votes, while Trump represented 85% of Republicans votes. Independents broke for Harris by 15 points, 52% to 37%.
Trump led by 82 percentage points among those who said border security is the most important issue, and by seven points among those most focused on the cost of living.
The poll revealed Harris leads on other issues, overwhelmingly on abortion (86 points), protecting democracy (77 points), and climate change (74 points). Harris also leads significantly among voters who said homelessness is their top issue (27 points); and by an eight-point margin among those who said crime is most important.
Harris led by 35 points among college graduates and by 23 points among those who have attended some college, while Trump leads by a nominal single point among those with less formal education.
Harris voters appear to be more certain of their choice: 93% of in favor of the vice president said they will "definitely" vote for her. According to the poll, 6% said there is a chance they may change their minds.
Eighty-six percent of Trump voters said they are certain they will vote for him, while 13% said they may change their minds. The poll revealed Harris led by a 30-point margin among those who said they were certain to vote. Trump held a 13-point edge among those who said they would probably cast a ballot.
Harris is preferred by margins ranging between 16 and 35 points when voters were asked which candidate they would trust more to improve each of the following issues:
- 35 points: Reproductive rights. 63% said they would have more trust in Harris; 28% would have more trust in Trump.
- 22 points: Public safety. 55% said they would trust Harris more compared to 33% for Trump.
- 21 points: US diplomatic relations with other nations. 57% would have more trust in Harris on this issue. 36% would have more trust in Trump.
- 19 points: Economy. 56% trust Harris more compared to 37% for Trump.
- 16 points: Immigration. 54% trust Harris more, 38% Trump – his best performance on any of the five issues.
Most important issues for Washington voters
Twenty-seven percent of people who participated in an exclusive KING 5 News Poll said cost of living will be the most important issue to them when they cast their ballots this year.
This percentage is up slightly from 25% in a poll taken three months ago. According to the poll, voters most likely to select this as their top issue include 2020 Trump voters, those who are likely but not certain to vote, Republicans, somewhat conservative voters, and voters under age 50.
The next important issue, according to the poll, is protecting democracy. Sixteen percent of voters chose this as their most important issue, down slightly from 18% this summer. Voters over 50 and 2020 Biden voters said protecting democracy is their top issue.
Border security and abortion tied for third, each at 12% and each up two points from July, but with different groups most focused on each. Border security is the top issue for very conservative voters, with 34% choosing it, eight points higher than they rate the cost of living. Abortion, meantime is the top issue for very liberal voters at 39% – twice as high as protecting democracy (20%) and climate change (18%) for these groups.
The remaining issues are in single digits:
- Climate change is most important to 9% of voters, up marginally from 8% this summer. Latinos and very liberal voters are the most likely to say climate change is their top issue.
- Homelessness is the top issue for 6%, unchanged from the previous poll. This is 14% among voters in urban Washington, 5% in rural Washington, and 2% in the suburbs.
- 5% said crime is the most important issue, down from 7% in July, and most important, at 17%, to those of Asian descent.
- 5% said guns are most important, down from 9% in July. Highest for Asian voters and those with high school educations.
- 5% said another issue is most important; 2% are not sure.
