Staff Reports
Polls are painting a picture that might make Kamala Harris wish she could duck out of the race faster than you can say “Harris-Biden administration.” Sure, recent polls show her slightly in the lead against Donald Trump, but the reality on the ground looks decidedly less rosy for the VP. With an election looming and voter sentiment shifting, Harris appears to be more tied to President Joe Biden—who’s not exactly winning any popularity contests—than she might like to admit.
According to a recent CNN survey, Harris is eking out a lead of 48% to 47% among likely voters. The poll also shows a dead heat at 47% each among registered voters. While these numbers may sound like a reasonable buffer to the average Democratic hopeful, the nuances tell a different story. As Harris clings to a slender lead, Trump is rallying a fervent base with a proven track record on economic matters that Harris can’t seem to shake off, despite the media’s attempts to paint her as the darling of the hour.
BREAKING: RED ALERT!🚨 New Polls Show Kamala Harris May Have NO Path to Victory as Trump Surges https://t.co/MvpI5PnXi6
— Trish Regan (@trish_regan) September 24, 2024
What the left might gloss over is that when voters reflect on Trump’s time in office, the numbers suggest they remember it fondly. Polls indicate that 51% of registered voters view his presidency as a success, while only 37% say the same about Biden. This stark contrast looms large and seems to weigh heavily on Harris, especially when linking her to the president’s struggling approval ratings. With a solid 50-39% trust in economic issues, you can bet Trump will take this narrative and run it straight to Election Day.
It gets even tougher for Harris when one considers demographic shifts. Independents, once seen as a key strength for Democrats, are now showing a preference for Trump over Harris, something reminiscent of past elections where the GOP tried to woo these voters. Meanwhile, Trump appears to be making strides with Hispanic voters, a group that overwhelmingly supported the Biden-Harris ticket in 2020. Such shifts suggest a potential catastrophe for Harris’s campaign if she doesn’t bolster her appeal among these crucial demographics.
Both candidates face criticisms of being too extreme. However, it’s Trump who seems to attract some unlikely support, even from those skeptical of his policies. A surprising 10% of those who consider Trump’s views extreme are still ready to support him, while only 4% of such voters back Harris. This is telling, as it reflects the resilience of Trump’s base compared to the loose coalition that Harris is assembling—one too often overshadowed by the historical failures of the Biden administration.
As the election cycle marches on, Trump continues to outpace Harris in most areas that matter to voters: immigration, foreign policy, and, notably, the economy. The Biden-Harris administration has left many disillusioned, and with election day on the horizon, the enthusiasm gap is becoming painfully clear. With voters expressing a distinct lack of excitement for Harris—as evidenced by decreased enthusiasm for her candidacy—Trump is poised to capitalize on his expanding base, while her support appears stagnant. The real questions lie in how long she can cling to a fragile lead before the tide turns unmistakably against her in what should be a nail-biting contest.
