Vice President Kamala Harris enjoyed a boost in voter enthusiasm, extensive media coverage, and increased campaign funds in August, just after President Joe Biden withdrew from the 2024 race and endorsed her for the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination.
A recent survey, however, shows that this positive momentum may be fading, as nearly 30 percent of voters still feel they don’t know enough about Harris and almost half of voters consider her views as “too liberal or progressive.”
With 60 days until election day, the survey found that while Trump is maintaining support for his presidential bid, voters remain uncertain about where Harris stands on key policy issues.
According to the survey, 28 percent of voters wanted to learn more about Harris, compared with only 9 percent who said the same for Trump.
Voters think Trump is closer to the center of the political spectrum, which provides an advantage for the former president.
A near majority of voters said Trump is “not too far” to the left or right on policy issues, while around one-third said he’s too conservative.
In contrast, nearly half of voters said Harris is “too liberal or progressive” and 41 percent believed she’s “not too far either way.”
Harris and Trump will face off for the first time on Sept. 10, in a debate that could significantly shape the presidential race. Both candidates are expected to use the debate to appeal to undecided voters and energize their supporters to turn out in November.
In her first interview as the Democratic nominee with CNN on Aug. 29, Harris faced questions about her shifting positions on fracking and border security. Her evolving stance on key issues will likely face scrutiny during the Sept. 10 debate.
Harris and Democrats enjoy an advantage in terms of voter enthusiasm, with 91 percent of Democrats expressing enthusiasm compared with 85 percent of Republicans, according to the survey.
In addition, voters trust Harris more when it comes to abortion and democracy issues. Meanwhile, Trump has an advantage on issues such as the economy and immigration.
The NYT survey was conducted nationwide among 1,695 registered voters from Sept. 3 to 6.
According to the poll, voters remain pessimistic about the direction of the country. Only 30 percent of likely voters believe the country was on the right track.
In terms of representing change, 53 percent of the likely voters see Trump as the candidate who will bring about change, while only 25 percent view Harris as representing change.
Harris has been preparing for the high stakes debate at a hotel in Pittsburgh since Sept. 5. She has also been using her downtime to get out and meet with supporters. On Sept. 7, the vice president visited Penzeys Spices, a small business in Pittsburgh’s Strip District, where she met with workers and local customers.
When asked whether she was ready to face Trump, Harris told reporters, “Yes, I am.”
ABC will host the debate in Philadelphia at the National Constitution Center. The two candidates will be standing throughout the event, which will last 90 minutes with two commercial breaks, according to the network. The debate will begin at 9 p.m. EDT.
