Bad News for Trump: In Striking New Polling, Kamala Hits Key Milestone
Sep 18, 2024
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Kamala Harris, the U.S. Vice President with a recent surge in favorability, discusses her evolving political landscape. Joined by Nick Ahamed, deputy exec director of a Democratic Super PAC, they analyze how Harris is making strides to connect with undecided voters amid a tight race against Trump. The conversation highlights the crucial role of engaging young voters through entrepreneurship and relatable narratives. As Harris inches forward in polling within battleground states, they explore the strategies needed to rally the Democratic coalition for optimal turnout.
Kamala Harris' favorability ratings have surged past positive territory, marking a crucial moment in her campaign efforts.
Despite this progress, consolidating support among key demographics, especially young voters of color, remains a significant challenge for Harris.
Deep dives
Kamala Harris's Rising Favorability Ratings
Kamala Harris has experienced a notable increase in her favorability ratings, crossing into positive territory for the first time during the election race. Recent polling suggests that nearly 47% of voters regard her favorably, with some polls indicating numbers as high as 50%. This surge is attributed to her efforts to engage with voters through conventions, debates, and grassroots campaigning across the country. However, there remains a pressing need for her to consolidate support from key demographic groups to fully harness this positive momentum.
Challenges in Rebuilding the Democratic Coalition
Despite progress, Harris faces significant challenges in reestablishing the Democratic coalition that successfully ousted Donald Trump in 2020. Polling reveals that while 85% of young voters who supported Biden are now behind Harris, a portion remains undecided, indicating a lack of complete consolidation. Additionally, crucial voter segments, particularly young voters of color, show hesitance, necessitating targeted messaging and outreach strategies to mobilize these groups effectively. The need is urgent, as these undecided voters could play a pivotal role in the election's outcome.
Effective Communication Strategies for Success
Effective communication emerges as a critical factor for Harris, especially among young and minority voters who often consume information through fragmented media channels. There's a particular emphasis on reaching voters in rural and suburban areas, where engagement from Democrats has been historically lower. Aligning messaging with the interests of these constituents, such as entrepreneurship and reproductive rights, has been shown to resonate well and increase trust in Harris. By enhancing outreach efforts and utilizing community-driven narratives, the campaign could significantly boost her support among these key demographics.
For the first time, Kamala Harris’ favorability rating has crossed into positive territory in FiveThirtyEight’s latest polling averages. That’s a crucial threshold, as Harris is introducing herself to votes within a highly compressed timetable. But there’s still work to do: Harris has not yet fully rebuilt the coalition that ousted Donald Trump in 2020. We talked to Nick Ahamed, deputy executive director of the Democratic Super PAC Priorities USA, who walks us through the group’s own interesting new polling in the swing states—andexplainswhat now must be done for Harris to finish the job. Listen to this episode here.