Donald Trump’s campaign vow to increase tariffs on imported goods, particularly from China, has the support of a narrow majority of U.S. voters, illustrating his economic advantage over rival Vice President Kamala Harris, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll shows.

The Republican former president and his Democratic opponent have both vowed to pursue tax cuts if they win the Nov. 5 election. But voters also credit Trump with being more likely to lower the $35 trillion national debt — even though independent economic forecasters say his proposals would have the opposite effect.\

Some 56% of registered voters in the Sept. 11-12 poll said they were more likely to support a candidate backing a new 10% tariff, or tax, on all imports, as well as a 60% tariff on imports from China. By comparison, 41% said they were less likely to support a candidate attached to that proposal.

The poll showed Harris with an overall 5-percentage-point lead over Trump nationally, though the U.S. presidential race will largely be decided in about seven battleground states where the race is tighter.

The poll details Trump’s strengths on a key issue, the U.S. economy.

“This is what’s keeping the election so close,” said Karlyn Bowman, a polling expert at the conservative American Enterprise Institute.

Bowman said Trump’s advantage flows from a perception the economy did well during his 2017-2021 administration, and from his success convincing voters U.S. economic problems stemmed from underhanded economic competition from other countries, notably China.

The poll found one in three Democrats said they were more likely to vote for a candidate backing higher tariffs and steep levies on Chinese goods, compared with two-thirds who said they were less likely to do so. Independent voters mirrored the wider electorate.