Donald Trump leads Kamala Harris on handling Israel, Ukraine wars, WSJ poll shows

Former Republican President Donald Trump has an edge over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris on who would better navigate the country through the Ukraine and Middle East wars, a Wall Street Journal opinion poll of seven battleground states showed.

In overall support, the poll published on Friday showed Harris and Trump tied across the seven states that could decide the November presidential election.

The poll showed Harris with marginal 2 percentage point leads in Arizona, Georgia and Michigan, Trump up 6 points in Nevada and 1 in Pennsylvania, and the two tied in North Carolina and Wisconsin. The poll of 600 registered voters in each state conducted on Sept. 28-Oct. 8 had a margin of error of 4 percentage points in each state.

The neck-and-neck results echo other polls reflecting a tight race before the Nov. 5 election as Americans grapple with concerns about the economy, immigration, women's rights and the nation's democratic values in picking between the two candidates.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll this week also found Trump and Harris locked in a close race nationally, with Harris marginally ahead 46 per cent to 43 per cent.

Surveys of swing state voters can be an important indicator given that state-by-state results of the Electoral College will determine the winner, with the seven battleground states likely being decisive.

Harris would win a narrow majority in the Electoral College if she captures the states where she holds an edge in the WSJ's poll.

According to the WSJ poll, Trump leads Harris in the seven swing states 50 per cent to 39 per cent on who is best able to handle Russia's war in Ukraine. Trump also has a 48 per cent to 33 per cent lead over Harris on who is better suited to handle the Israel-Hamas war.

More voters said they backed Trump on the economy and immigration while more said Harris would do a better job when it comes to housing, healthcare and caring about people like them, the WSJ poll found.