Donald Trump Gets Bad News in New Poll as Kamala Takes Over Campaign

Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump received disheartening news after a recent poll indicated that Democrats may have resolved one of their significant challenges for the 2024 election.

President Joe Biden's re-election bid had been plagued by a lack of enthusiasm among Democratic voters, especially young and Black voters who were pivotal in his 2020 victory. However, Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 race just months before Election Day has revitalized the Democratic base, positioning Vice President Kamala Harris as the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination.

Following Sunday's surprising announcement, leading Democrats quickly rallied behind Harris' campaign. The vice president shattered fundraising records by amassing an impressive $81 million in just 24 hours. More importantly, there has been a noticeable shift in the mood among Democratic voters.

A new Morning Consult poll conducted after Biden's announcement revealed that 28 percent of Democrats now report feeling "excited" about the upcoming November election, a 5-point increase from the 22 percent who felt the same earlier in the month. Even more striking is the decrease in worried, frustrated, and angry Democrats.

Between July 12 and 14, nearly half of Democrats, 48 percent, described themselves as "worried" about the election. The new survey, conducted between July 21 and 22, shows that this figure has dropped to 25 percent following Biden's exit. Similarly, the proportion of "frustrated" Democrats fell from 40 percent to 17 percent, and only 9 percent now report feeling "angry," down from 25 percent less than two weeks ago.

Conversely, Republican interest seems to be waning. Before Biden exited the race, 55 percent of Republican voters expressed interest in the 2024 election. This number has since decreased to 41 percent, marking a significant double-digit decline after the president's announcement of his non-participation in the re-election bid.

While Republican voters remain more excited, confident, and happy about the November election compared to their Democratic counterparts, they are also less worried and frustrated. Both parties have an equal percentage of voters who report feeling "angry" about the election.

The enthusiasm gap between the presidential race's contenders has been substantial. A Gallup poll from April highlighted that while both parties' groups are less enthusiastic than in 2020, Democrats trail Republicans in net enthusiasm by 11 points, 13 percent to 24 percent.

Prior to Biden's withdrawal, political journalist Tim Alberta remarked on MSNBC, "I've never seen an enthusiasm gap like the one we're witnessing this summer." He added, "I've heard horror stories from people on the ground in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Arizona about local Democratic Party chapters struggling to mobilize volunteers for phone banking, mailing, and door-knocking. They just can't find people willing to engage."

Although enthusiasm alone does not determine election outcomes, voter turnout is crucial in a closely contested race like this year's. Enthusiasm can mobilize voters who might otherwise stay home, transforming anger or frustration into electoral action.

"I think the current enthusiasm reflects a certain malaise among Democrats about Joe Biden and fear of Trump's apparent strength in recent polls," Marquette pollster Charles Franklin told The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in March. "It doesn't necessarily mean these Democrats will stay home, but it raises questions about their positive engagement in the campaign this year compared to 2020."

This shift in enthusiasm could benefit Harris, especially with voters who have recently distanced themselves from Biden. While Black voters remain predominantly Democratic, a Pew Research study revealed that Biden's lead over Trump has shrunk by 16 points since the 2020 election.

Harris enjoys greater popularity among Black voters than Biden. The Morning Consult poll released Monday shows Harris leading Trump by 54 percent among Black voters, compared to Biden's 39 percent lead. Additionally, more than 40,000 Black women participated in a Zoom meeting organized by #WinWithBlackWomen just hours after Biden's announcement, raising over $1.5 million for Harris' campaign.

Harris also outperforms Biden among independents, young voters, Hispanic voters, and Trump 2020 voters. She leads Trump by 5 percentage points among independents, while Biden trails Trump by 6 points. Among young voters, Harris holds a 2-point lead over Trump, while Biden trails by 9 points.

Among Hispanic voters, Harris has an 8-point advantage over Trump compared to Biden's 4-point lead. Even among voters who supported Trump in the last election, Harris trails by 88 points, while Biden lags by 90 points.