WASHINGTON — New polls from Quinnipiac University show that Vice President Kamala Harris has a slight lead over former President Donald Trump in Michigan and is tied with him in Wisconsin, indicating a boost for the Democratic candidate.

With just 13 days remaining until the election, Harris leads Trump by a slim margin of 49%-46% among likely voters in Michigan, based on a poll conducted from October 17 to 21. Jill Stein of the Green Party and independent candidate Cornel West each garnered 1% support.

A previous Quinnipiac poll released on October 9 had Trump ahead of Harris in Michigan by a score of 50%-47%.

This recent survey included 1,136 likely voters in Michigan, with a margin of error of 2.9 percentage points.

In Wisconsin, the same Quinnipiac poll shows Harris and Trump each receiving 48% of support from 1,108 likely voters surveyed during the same period. This marks a 2-point gain for Harris since the earlier poll, which indicated Trump was leading 48%-46%.

This latest poll for Wisconsin also has a margin of error of 2.9 percentage points, with all other third-party candidate support falling below 1% among likely voters.

Gender disparities in Wisconsin and Michigan

Both polls reveal significant gender gaps, a noteworthy aspect of the 2024 campaign, with Harris significantly outperforming Trump among female voters, while Trump has a strong lead among male voters.

In Michigan, Harris is ahead of Trump among likely female voters with a score of 57%-37%, while Trump leads 56%-40% among likely male voters. In Wisconsin, Harris has 57% of likely female voters compared to Trump’s 39%, whereas among likely male voters, Trump leads with 59%-38%.

Voters in both states perceive Trump as more capable than Harris when it comes to managing the economy, giving him a lead of 51%-47% in Michigan and 52%-47% in Wisconsin. Trump also enjoys a 7-point advantage on immigration in Michigan and a 9-point lead in Wisconsin.

When it comes to abortion rights and the preservation of democracy, more voters in both states believe Harris would perform better than Trump.

In Michigan, 56% of likely voters think Harris would be more effective regarding abortion rights, while 37% favor Trump. Harris also leads in Wisconsin on this issue 54%-40%. Additionally, Harris holds a 7-point advantage in Michigan and a 3-point advantage in Wisconsin when questioned about their ability to sustain democracy.

Both campaigns are heavily investing in these two Midwest states as they prepare for what is expected to be an extremely close race on November 5.

Michigan, with its 15 electoral votes, and Wisconsin, with 10 electoral votes, are two of the crucial battleground states that could determine the outcome of the election. They are both key components of the Rust Belt, often referred to as the “blue wall,” along with Pennsylvania, crucial for either candidate aiming for 270 electoral votes.