Donald Trump has done a series of interviews in recent weeks, but they have mainly been with sympathetic interviewers including X boss Elon Musk
Donald Trump is leading Kamala Harris on Polymarket, but a recent poll sees the vice president in the lead. AFP

KEY POINTS

  • On Polymarket's main event contract for the presidential election, Trump leads Harris at 53% to 46%
  • Trump is leading Harris by a staggering 20% in swing state Arizona
  • A recent poll sees Harris leading Trump among likely voters

Former President Donald Trump's popularity is climbing on decentralized prediction platform Polymarket, as he has widened his lead over Vice President Kamala Harris by 7% as of early Thursday.

The latest data shows that the Republican presidential nominee is now leading his Democratic rival at 53% to 46%. Less than two weeks ago, the odds were close. Cryptocurrency traders on the platform had Trump winning by only 1% at 50% to Harris' 49%.

While the continuous climb of Trump's chances of winning the November election is a big story for crypto users who bank on his promise of a government that will support growth for the digital assets space, the bigger story is his widened lead in three key battleground states.

Trump Harris Polymarket Sept 5
Trump's odds climbed by 2% in the last 24 hours and he is now leading Kamala by 7% on Polymarket. Polymarket

Numbers Move in Swing States 2 Months from Election

Swing states, or so-called purple states, are known for their ability to flip the elections. Some analysts have found it hard to predict the attitude of voters in some swing states due to their tendencies of flipping for a party they didn't support in the past.

Late in August, Trump added a fourth state to his lead on Polymarket. At the time, the numbers were quite close in Pennsylvania (51% to 49% for Harris), the state where the business magnate survived an attempted assassination in July.

With two months left before the elections, Trump has widened his lead: 53% to 47%. The Keystone State was a known Democratic-leaning state in the past, handing ex-President Barack Obama with his 2008 and 2012 victories. In 2016, the state flipped to Trump.

Swing States Polymarket Sept 5 2024
Trump took the lead in 4 swing states on the decentralized prediction platform less than two weeks ago. Polymarket

Trump is still leading Harris in Nevada and Georgia, albeit on a slightly smaller range as Harris supporters gradually pushed the vice president's odds of winning up.

On the other hand, the business magnate also widened his lead over Harris in Arizona from 55% late last month to 60%. Harris' chances were at 45% less than two weeks ago, and now her odds slipped further to 40%.

Harris retained her lead over Trump in Wisconsin at 56% to 44%, and in Michigan at 59% to 41%. Particularly in Michigan, Harris' numbers have slightly decreased as she held a wide lead at 61% to 39% against Trump late in August.

Recent Poll Sees Kamala Ahead

Outside Polymarket and the crypto voters' space, Harris leads in a recent USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll by 5 points, at 48% to 43%.

According to the poll, which surveyed likely voters, the lead was fueled by significant flips among several key demographics, including Hispanic and young voters. The poll further noted how smaller-income likely voters are leaning toward Harris.