Hello everyone! In today’s political news, we’re discussing some intriguing findings regarding Kamala Harris, the likely Democratic candidate. Reports indicate that Harris is struggling to gain the backing of younger voters despite a notable online presence filled with supportive memes.
After analyzing recent exit poll data, CNN’s senior data reporter Harry Enten brought these insights to the forefront. He revealed that despite President Biden securing the youth vote (under 35) in 2020 by a 21-point lead, Harris is not currently faring as well against former President Trump, with just a 9-point advantage.
Intriguingly, Enten suggested that despite these figures, Harris might actually have a stronger pull among young voters than Biden did prior to his announcement not to seek re-election. Still, her popularity remains notably lower than that of other Democrats in recent years, leading to questions about the strength of her broader appeal.
Enten also shared a poll detailing Democrats’ voting motivation following Biden’s withdrawal from the race. With only 39% indicating increased motivation to vote and a significant 55% feeling less motivated, Harris appears to face an uphill battle. Specifically among 18 to 29-year-olds, 42% support voting, while 49% do not. According to Enten, despite the online hype, the actual numbers are not reflecting a strong interest in Harris among young voters.
Switching gears, Enten also disclosed that former President Trump’s national approval rating has hit a record high, which could pose a substantial challenge for Harris in a potential November face-off. He emphasized the unprecedented nature of this situation: a resurgent Trump with higher popularity than ever before.
Enten referred to two recent national polls that demonstrated, following the Republican National Convention, Trump recorded his highest ever favorability rating at 40%. This suggests Harris’s task may be even more formidable than initially believed.
Enten highlighted that Harris needs to focus on securing not only the popular vote but also the electoral college. To do this, her performance will likely need to surpass her national record. Since Biden’s campaign suspension, this observation is based on the absence of national polling data on Harris.
The data points towards a challenging journey for Kamala Harris in her run for the White House. Stay tuned for more updates!