Just a few months ago, Vice President Kamala Harris was riding high in the polls, looking like the presumptive next President of the United States. After the Democrats decided that Joe Biden was a little too “past his prime” for another run, the liberal media rallied around Harris like she was the second coming.
Every news outlet on the left was promoting her as the future of the party, talking up her experience, her background, and whatever else they could find to puff her up. It was all rainbows and unicorns, and the numbers reflected it.
At that time, Harris enjoyed a commanding lead over former President Donald Trump, and it seemed like the race was all but over. Her lead wasn’t just the result of Democratic loyalists; she was being portrayed as the safe, progressive choice. But, as the campaign progressed and Harris was forced to campaign on her own merit—without the media’s constant cushion—the cracks began to show.
And boy, did they show! Harris’ ideas? Well, those never really existed. Leadership acumen? None that anyone’s been able to find. Now, as voters are finally getting to make up their own minds, things aren’t looking so rosy for the once-favored candidate.
Former President Donald Trump has taken a narrow lead over Vice President Kamala Harris with less than two weeks until election day, according to a Wall Street Journal poll published Thursday.
Trump has pulled out in front with a 47-45 lead, a change from the Journal’s polling in August, which had Kamala ahead by two percentage points. The two percentage points are within the poll’s margin of error. [Source: Daily Caller]
Fast forward to now, just as voters are heading to the polls, and Kamala Harris’ dream of waltzing into the Oval Office has hit a rough patch. According to the latest Wall Street Journal poll, Trump has surged ahead with a 47-45 lead, reversing the two-point advantage Harris had back in August.
That’s within the margin of error, sure, but the shift is undeniable. What’s happening? Well, Harris’ favorability has taken a nosedive. Back in August, about half of the voters viewed her favorably. Now, only 45 percent hold a positive view, and a whopping 53 percent disapprove of her performance. Ouch.
This decline isn’t just about personal likability, though Harris has struggled with that too. Her job performance ratings have plummeted to their lowest since she became vice president, with 54 percent of voters giving her the thumbs down. Meanwhile, Trump’s numbers are trending in the opposite direction.
Voters are giving him better marks for his performance, especially when it comes to the economy and immigration—two issues that have always been his bread and butter.
The Wall Street Journal poll shows that Harris’ support has been eroding, and the reasons for it are pretty clear. Republican pollster David Lee hit the nail on the head when he said, “Voters are finally getting to know her.” And let’s be honest, what they’re finding out isn’t exactly inspiring.
More people are unhappy with Harris than with Trump, and it’s not hard to see why. On the economy, voters are favoring Trump by 12 points, compared to just an 8-point lead in August. Immigration? The gap is even wider, with Trump holding a 15-point advantage. That’s up from just 7 points a few months ago.
It’s not just the Wall Street Journal sounding the alarm for Harris. Real Clear Politics’ national polling average still has her ahead by a sliver, but the four most recent polls all show Trump leading by at least two percentage points. Trump is also winning in key battleground states like Georgia, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
In fact, in every important swing state, he’s edging her out. When it comes to the betting markets—always an interesting indicator—Trump is the clear favorite. He’s got a 59 percent chance of winning, compared to Harris’ 40.1 percent. Prediction markets like Polymarket have him even higher, at 61.1 percent.
So, what happened? How did Kamala Harris go from the Democrats’ golden child to scrambling for support in the final stretch? It’s simple. When the hype fades, voters start paying attention to the actual substance—or lack thereof.
Harris has been forced to stand on her own, and unfortunately for her, she’s been found wanting. Whether it’s her dismal handling of immigration, her lack of economic leadership, or just her overall inability to connect with voters, the tide has turned against her.
Trump, on the other hand, has benefited from being the known quantity. People may not love everything about him, but they know what they’re getting. And right now, in a time of economic uncertainty and a border crisis, voters seem to prefer Trump’s direct, no-nonsense approach over Harris’ vague promises and shaky track record.
Author: Bo Dogan
