Staff Reports
The latest debate brought a flurry of speculation about Kamala Harris’s tactics and whether her plan to annoy Trump and team up with the moderators to spotlight his weaknesses truly resonated with the voters she depends on. According to Trump pollsters Tony Fabrizio and Travis Tunis, the answer is a resounding no. Their recent findings from key battleground states reveal that despite Harris’s attempts to stage a narrative, support for her hasn’t budged an inch—in fact, Trump managed to notch up a cozy 2-point bump in both ballot configurations.
Their numbers paint a rather stark picture: after the debate, Trump is ahead of Harris by 2 points in one scenario and 3 points in another. It turns out those vast claims of Harris triumphing in the debate were solely the media’s wishful thinking, as actual voters found her rehearsed lines and superficial dialogue lacking. What’s more, before the debate, they were neck and neck, but here we are, with Trump enjoying a lead that leaves Harris’s supporters in a state of denial.
Taunting Trump might not have been what undecided voters wanted to see from Harris. https://t.co/gZ0QECSUP1
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) September 15, 2024
It’s not just the Trump campaign singing this tune; independent focus groups are also tossing cold water on Harris’s fire. Those test audiences convened by credible outlets like the Wall Street Journal ultimately reported feeling underwhelmed, despite recognizing her ability to throw Trump off his game. One independent Arizona voter shared her disappointment, noting a shortage of substantial policy from Harris, instead witnessing her dance around key issues and rebut whatever Trump hurled at her.
This disconnect is crucial. It seems the only votes Harris managed to excite were her own staunch supporters, while her bland responses did little to attract the undecided voters who are right now teetering on the edge of discontent with both parties. While energizing the Democratic base might seem like a win, doing so at the expense of swinging Independent and working-class voters could prove disastrous. Current polling indicates Harris is up by a slim margin, but a lead that can vanish faster than a three-dollar bill is hardly a victory party worth celebrating.
Speaking of polls, glaring statistics show Harris trailing Trump significantly among the very demographic she needs the most: working-class voters. Ruy Teixeira, the respected political scientist, emphasizes that Harris’s standing among these crucial voters is remarkably worse than Biden’s performance in 2020. Leading by just 1.5 points nationally while losing ground among constituents who should naturally tilt toward her party doesn’t send any warm and fuzzy feelings her way.
While Trump might be mulling the possibility of skipping the next debate, Harris is practically begging for a rematch. This back-and-forth suggests both candidates acknowledge the stakes of the game. It doesn’t change the fact that Harris’s strategy could backfire if it fails to connect with the broader electorate. In the words of a savvy conservative radio host, Trump still has the tools he needs to reclaim the narrative; all he must do is focus on Harris’s shortcomings, which she paraded around like a shiny new car. It seems the debate may have been a calculated play on her part, but the true impact of her performance remains an open question, with many voters still assessing what they witnessed.
