Staff Reports
For the first time in eons, the view of former President Donald Trump among Americans has tipped positively, leaving Vice President Kamala Harris in the political dust. Gallup’s latest survey reveals that 50% of respondents now view Trump favorably, compared to a mere 48% who don’t. This marks a major turnaround from when he boasted only 36% approval just before the 2016 election, where he pulled off the ultimate political Houdini act by defeating Hillary Clinton, the media darling who was supposedly a shoo-in, according to the New York Times.
Gallup conducted this survey between October 1st and 12th, converging on a time when most Americans were busy rolling their eyes at both major party candidates and wondering how they got stuck in this political circus. Historically, contenders who saunter into the White House typically boast favorability ratings around 60% or higher. This year, however, Americans remain skeptical of both party choices, but Trump is waving a rare flag of success with his highest favorability rating achieved across his three campaigns. With 31% of Americans viewing him very favorably, it’s clear that he might just be winning back some hearts.
Latest Gallup Data Shows Historic Shift In Trump's Favorability Ratinghttps://t.co/B911R2NfWC
— JOSH DUNLAP (@JDunlap1974) October 24, 2024
Meanwhile, Harris finds herself in a precarious position, struggling to charm voters. A dashing 30% think positively of her, but hold the applause, because a hefty 34% view her through a much darker lens. As more voters land somewhere in the middle about her, 18% lean positive while 16% lean negative. Traditional wisdom says candidates shouldn’t get too comfortable with unfavorable ratings, especially when modern polling before 2016 showed no major candidate exceeding 30%. Trump’s past and present campaigns have shattered that record again and again, along with Clinton in 2016 and now Harris.
The landscape is wild, with negative sentiments toward political leaders soaring to unprecedented heights. For Trump, this serves as solid gold. With his unfavorable ratings firmly entrenched in the psyche of the electorate, any movement upwards among undecided voters could signal a golden opportunity. Trump is even pivoting economically, rolling out appealing promises like dramatic tax breaks for car purchases and a banishment of federal taxes on tipped wages. Such a handout could draw in a few more undecided folks.
On the other side, Harris is grappling to win over younger pro-Palestinian voters who are feeling increasingly disenchanted and have even threatened to leave their ballots blank. While Trump is focusing on ending foreign engagements, like the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, Harris is stuck trying to convince young voters that her administration has something worth supporting. With all these dynamics at play, the upcoming election night could well reveal a surprising shift in favor of the Republican resurgence, leaving the Democrats scrambling for answers in the wake of political disarray.
