Staff Reports
Kamala Harris is riding high on a wave of newfound favorability, or so the latest poll results claim. In a stunning twist following President Biden’s announcement that he will not be seeking reelection, Harris’s popularity reportedly surged by nearly 10%. Now standing at a commendable 43% favorability among the public—at least according to a fresh ABC News/Ipsos poll—she’s managed to inch ahead of her unfavorability rating, which sits at 42%. It appears Biden’s departure has turned her frown upside down, just in time for her to potentially snag the Democratic nomination.
Now, if one were a conspiracy theorist, it would be hard not to wonder if the Democratic machine has pulled some strings to boost Harris’s image. Just a week ago, she had a mere 35% favorability with an unfavorability score of 46%. But with 44% of self-identified independents now glowing with warmth towards her, Harris seems to have cultivated quite the fan club out of nowhere. These independent voters previously viewed her unfavorably at 47%, a number that has oddly drifted down to 40%. Coincidence? Or is it just the influence of big names like Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi putting their stamps of approval on her candidacy?
Interestingly, a whopping 86% of Democrats believe the ticket should be all-Harris for November. And it turns out that independents are feeling the pressure to join in, with over half agreeing she’s the right pick for the party. The plot thickens as the party faithful rally behind the vice president, while others mischievously suggest keeping the nomination open before the Democratic National Convention in August. Ah, nothing like a little drama in the ranks of the left to keep things interesting.
Recent delegate meetings have confirmed that Harris is in a prime position to earn the nomination. She’s also made a grand proclamation to “earn” her spot and unite both the party and the nation. With aspirations for unity and victory, one can only hope she has a magic wand handy because if her past policies are any indication, uniting behind a solid agenda might be wishful thinking.
On the flip side, things aren’t looking quite as rosy for former President Trump, whose favorability has taken a slight nosedive from 40% to a measly 36%—at least according to this poll. Among independents, excitement about a Trump comeback also seems to be waning, revealing a dip from 35% to a lackluster 27%. When it comes to enthusiasm, the poll shows Harris edging out Trump, with 48% of voters reportedly feeling a spark of excitement at the thought of her candidacy compared to just 39% for the previous commander-in-chief.
Kamala Harris’s favorability rating shoots up in week since Biden dropped out: Poll https://t.co/MGlcwVW4T7
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) July 29, 2024
All the while, a healthy dose of skepticism looms over these rapidly changing numbers. The data dance seems choreographed to highlight Harris at every turn while Trump struggles to keep his footing. In a political landscape that’s as unpredictable as a toddler on a sugar high, one thing remains clear: as we inch closer to the election, the battle for hearts and minds will continue to bring its fair share of twists and turns.
