Kamala Harris leads Donald Trump 44% to 42% in US presidential race, new poll finds

The most recent poll results underscored the rationale for Biden dropping out of the race and for Harris replacing him on the ticket

US Vice President Kamala Harris arrives to speak from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. Picture: AP Photo/Alex Brandon

US Vice President Kamala Harris opened up a marginal two-percentage-point lead over Republican Donald Trump after President Joe Biden ended his re-election campaign and passed the torch to her, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found.

The poll, conducted on Monday and Tuesday, followed both the Republican National Convention where Trump on Thursday formally accepted his party's nomination and the Biden announcement on Sunday he was leaving the race and endorsing Harris.