Staff Reports
The political landscape has shifted dramatically two months after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and threw his weight behind Vice President Kamala Harris. The wave of media enthusiasm that appeared to cushion Harris on her ascent has proven as effective as a parachute made of wet cardboard. Recent polls suggest the public isn’t exactly sold on the new ‘superstar’ of the Democratic Party, leaving her campaign effectively stalled while Donald Trump maintains a commanding lead.
According to a fresh Rasmussen Reports survey, the race appears immutable, with Trump leading Harris by a margin of 49% to 47%. The debates might have sparked some buzz, but they certainly didn’t produce any fireworks for the Harris camp. Despite the ongoing attempts from the media to pump up her candidacy, it seems the echo chamber is losing its grip on actual voters. In fact, not only is Trump ahead, but he’s also performing well in key battleground states, further complicating Harris’s path to power.
Good Morning !
The @Teamsters ? pic.twitter.com/touc1G7IVV
— Rasmussen Reports (@Rasmussen_Poll) September 19, 2024
The most notable trend is among independent voters, where Harris pulled a slight uptick but still trails Trump 49% to 45%. A week earlier, Trump was beating her by a whopping 12 points among those voters, making the supposed “gain” appear more like a rescue mission for her campaign. This is hardly the momentum the Democrats were hoping for, and it’s a clear indication that Kamala’s so-called “charm” is falling flat when it counts the most.
In a bold move that would leave anyone scratching their heads, Harris has managed to clock a historically low number of media interviews for a presidential candidate. Perhaps she thinks that letting the press promote her is the smart play, but judging by the polling, it’s clear voters are hungry for substance. They are not fooled by the smoke and mirrors, which might explain why her campaign is turning out to be a lot of hot air without any tangible support.
The Rasmussen poll, with its robust sample size of 1,855 likely voters, mirrors other surveys suggesting the race is neck and neck, or even tied. A recently released New York Times poll indicates a 47% stalemate. Meanwhile, Trump’s polling prowess continues to create waves, evidenced by his advancing numbers in the days leading up to the election. When you see Trump at 52% to Harris’s 44% in some tracks, it almost seems like he’s the one getting ready for a coronation.
As Election Day looms closer, it’s clear the public is not enamored by the less-than-stellar performance of the Biden-Harris ticket. With declining press interactions and stagnant polls, the White House might want to re-evaluate their strategy or risk seeing more media dreams dashed on the rocks of reality. While Harris may have the backing of some political elites, at the end of the day, it’s the voters who will determine who truly belongs on that stage come November.
