Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz are gearing up for a challenging race against former President Donald Trump and his vice-presidential pick, JD Vance. With the November election just around the corner, national polls are indicating a tight race between the two camps.

According to an average of national polls collected by FiveThirtyEight, Harris currently holds a 3.5-point lead over Trump. Although her lead is marginal, there has been a consistent trend of Harris being slightly ahead of Trump in the polls. However, it is important to note that swing states still show variation, which adds an element of uncertainty to the overall race.

In addition to the national numbers, a recent poll conducted by Fairleigh Dickinson University found that when race and gender are taken into account, Harris extends her lead against Trump by seven points. The university stated that when voters consider the race or gender of the candidates, Harris garners substantial support, while in cases where these factors are not considered, the race remains essentially tied.

Harris received a significant boost after the Democratic National Convention last week, as shown by a USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll. The poll revealed that Harris now leads Trump by five points, with a 48 percent to 43 percent margin. This reflects an eight-point turnaround from June when Trump held a four-point advantage over Biden, Harris's predecessor.

The recent suspension of independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s presidential campaign, along with his endorsement of Trump, could potentially shake up the race. Kennedy's endorsement may provide added momentum to Trump's campaign, particularly as he appeals to younger voters and holds higher support in states like New Mexico. However, the impact of Kennedy's exit on Trump-Harris poll numbers remains to be seen.

Independents, a crucial voting group, appear to lean towards Harris, as suggested by a Morning Consult megapoll of registered voters. However, there is significant variation across different surveys conducted on independent voters, who have been known to consider third-party options. Capturing the independent vote will be pivotal for both Harris and Trump in their quest for victory.

Various polls also highlight a gender divide among voters, with more men tending to support Trump, while more women favor Harris. Trump's key supporters continue to be male voters, those in the 45-64 age group, and white voters without a college education. It is worth noting, though, that Trump's leverage over Harris within the latter demographic appears to be slightly diminished compared to his advantage over Biden.

Harris, on the other hand, has strong support among young voters, female voters, and Black voters, where she holds a significant lead. However, her lead among white college-educated voters has narrowed, showing only a +5 point advantage over Trump in a CBS/YouGov poll conducted up to August 16. This stands in stark contrast to her previously reported lead of 20+ points in this group.

As the battle for the presidency rages on, the focus shifts to the battleground states. Research from the Cook Political Report indicates that Harris is currently leading in six out of seven battleground states, while Trump maintains a stronghold in Nevada. Arizona, where Biden won by a narrow margin in 2020, shows Harris's strongest lead.

In conclusion, as November approaches, Kamala Harris finds herself holding an edge over Donald Trump in national polls. However, the race remains close and swing states bring an element of uncertainty. With varying support across different demographics and voter groups, both campaigns have their work cut out to secure victory in this highly contested election.