Harris Super PAC President Claims Internal Polling Numbers Less Optimistic

Supporters of Kamala Harris should temper their enthusiasm regarding recent polls that show her leading Donald Trump, according to Chauncey McLean, president of one of the largest super political action committees (PACs) backing her. Speaking at a panel organized by the University of Chicago Institute of Politics, McLean shared that internal polling data presents a less optimistic picture than the public polls suggest.

“We have it tight as a tick, and pretty much across the board,” McLean remarked, emphasizing the competitive nature of the race.

His comments come just as the vice president is poised to be formally nominated as the Democratic candidate during the Democratic National Convention taking place this week in Chicago. Recent consolidated polling data compiled by FiveThirtyEight shows Harris with a nearly 3-point lead over Trump, while RealClearPolitics indicates a narrower margin of 1.5 points. Additionally, the Cook Political Report shows Harris with a lead of less than 1 point.

Recent surveys conducted by notable organizations such as The New York Times/Siena College, Emerson College, and CBS/YouGov reveal a tight race, with Harris leading Trump by a slim margin, even in pivotal swing states. These survey results represent a considerable shift from just a month prior, when Trump was leading Joe Biden by several points.

Biden’s decision to exit the 2024 race was influenced, in part, by troubling polling numbers that deteriorated significantly following his lackluster performance in the first election debate. Since Biden’s withdrawal and his endorsement of Harris, Democrats have experienced a resurgence in polling figures, which has raised their confidence about the upcoming election.

However, McLean cautions that Future Forward’s polling indicates a highly competitive race. “Since the vice president became the nominee, we have spoken to 375,000 Americans,” he stated. “The public polls involve a much smaller sample size of about 1,000 surveys.”

Despite the challenges, Harris’s candidacy has opened new avenues for victory that Biden may not have capitalized on. This shift is partially attributed to the newfound support from young people of color, according to McLean.

Nonetheless, securing victory will be contingent on Harris winning one of three critical swing states: Georgia, North Carolina, or Pennsylvania, as reported by Reuters. McLean highlighted that Future Forward has approximately $250 million remaining for campaign spending, aiming to deploy this through a comprehensive digital and television advertising blitz that is set to begin on Labor Day and continue up through Election Day.

So far, the super PAC has raised $134 million to support the Harris campaign, according to OpenSecrets.

As the campaign unfolds, McLean’s words serve as a reminder that political landscapes can shift rapidly and that every vote will count in the highly charged environment leading up to the election.

Source: various news outlets