In a surprising twist, a new CBS News/YouGov poll has shown former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris locked in a dead even race in the battleground states. Both candidates secured 50% support among registered voters, while Harris took a slight one-point lead nationally, garnering 50% to Trump's 49%. However, Trump's campaign quickly cried foul over the results.

Senior campaign advisor Brian Hughes issued a statement criticizing the poll, accusing the "Fake News Media" of aiding Harris in hiding her "record of economic failure and soft-on-crime policies." The Trump campaign even distributed a memo from a data consultant suggesting possible manipulation of the survey. Notably, the memo highlighted an increase in self-identifying liberals in the sample of registered voters used in the most recent poll.

It is important to note that variations in the sample size of those surveyed are typical in polling. The Washington Post reached out to CBS News and YouGov for comment on the Trump campaign's allegations.

The CBS/YouGov survey results reveal a significant shift from last month, where Trump held a five-point lead over President Biden nationally and generally held an advantage in battleground states according to the CBS News poll. In the latest poll, key battleground states showed a deadlock between Harris and Trump. Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and North Carolina all exhibited a statistical tie.

If the general election were to take place along these lines, Trump would hold a lead in the Electoral College with 261 votes to Harris' 232. However, this would still fall short of the 270 electoral votes required for victory.

The CBS poll suggests that Harris is gaining momentum, particularly among female, younger, and black voters. The July poll indicated that 58% of black voters were planning to cast their ballots for Harris, but that number has now surged to 74%. Female voters also showed a preference for Harris, with 70% believing her policies would benefit women compared to 43% for Trump.

A gender gap is evident between the two candidates, as shown by several polls. Harris holds the edge among women with 54% support, while Trump leads among men with 54% support.

When it comes to cognitive abilities, Harris received positive ratings from 64% of respondents, who believed she possesses the mental faculties required to be president. Meanwhile, 36% expressed doubts about her cognitive strength. For Trump, the numbers were more divided, with 51% expressing confidence in his cognitive abilities and 49% doubting his competence.

The poll also highlighted a significant shift in voter sentiment towards electing a black woman as president, with 68% of respondents feeling the country was ready for such a milestone.

The CBS News/YouGov survey sampled 3,102 registered voters between July 30 and August 2, with a margin of error of 2.1 percentage points. The narrowing race between Trump and Harris has been observed in multiple polls, with Trump currently holding a slim lead of 0.3 percentage points in a five-way national race according to RealClearPolitics.

Harris' campaign has been touting its momentum, including a record-breaking $310 million fundraising haul in July and substantial turnout at her rallies. Trump, on the other hand, has been actively campaigning with a recent visit to Atlanta, following a massive rally in Georgia headlined by Grammy-winner Megan Thee Stallion, which drew an estimated crowd size of around 10,000.

The Trump campaign's top pollster, Tony Fabrizio, had predicted a "honeymoon phase" for Harris in polling shortly after her elevation to the vice presidency. He cautioned that while public polls may fluctuate in the short term, Harris cannot change her past record.

As the race between Harris and Trump continues to tighten, both candidates will undoubtedly seize every opportunity to gain an edge as they vie for the presidency.