Support for Kamala Harris Increases This Summer Before DNC, AP-NORC Poll Finds

During the upcoming Democratic National Convention, Vice President Kamala Harris is experiencing a surge of enthusiasm from party members, along with rising favorability ratings among the general American public.

According to a recent poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, about 48% of U.S. adults hold a favorable view of Harris, a notable increase from the 39% recorded earlier in the summer. This shift comes in the wake of President Joe Biden’s disappointing debate performance against former President Donald Trump, which led him to exit the presidential race.

This increase in favorable opinion for Harris is significant when compared to the 38% of respondents who viewed Biden favorably before his withdrawal. Harris’s standing is also slightly better than the 41% of adults who hold a favorable opinion of Trump.

More Americans are forming opinions about Harris as she and the Trump campaign work to establish her presence in the race. The percentage of people who feel they do not have enough information about her to form an opinion has decreased, shrinking from 12% in June to just 6% now.

Harris’s current favorability ratings mirror those from early 2021, shortly after she and Biden took office. The improvement suggests a revitalization of public sentiment toward Harris, indicated by an increase in the number of people with a “very favorable” opinion of her. However, as she nears her previously highest rating, there are concerns she may be approaching a ceiling in her appeal.

Since June, there has been a slight uptick in Harris’s favorability among traditional Democratic demographics. She gained support from Democrats, independents, women, and young adults under 30. However, support has remained stable among Black and Hispanic adults, who are crucial demographics for her chances in November.

Among adults under 30, favorable opinions of Harris rose to 50%, a jump from 34% in June. This reflects an increase in awareness about her candidacy, with the proportion of young adults claiming to lack sufficient knowledge about her halving from 20% to around 10%. The number of unfavorable views among this age group has not significantly changed.

Harris maintains relatively strong favorability among Black adults, where about two-thirds view her positively. Notably, around 40% express a “very favorable” opinion. Moreover, nonwhite men and women report a favorable view of Harris at rates about 60%.

Johnita Johnson, a 45-year-old Black woman from North Carolina, plans to support Harris in the upcoming election. However, she desires honesty and realism in the campaign’s promises. She expressed concerns about politicians who overpromise what they can deliver while in office.

“If she could accomplish her goals as she envisions, she would excel,” Johnson stated. “But the reality is that not everything will be achievable. She can’t make unrealistic promises.”

Despite Harris’s historic significance as a candidate due to her race and gender, Johnson emphasizes that her support is based on substance rather than symbolism.

“I’m not swayed by her identity,” she explained. “My priority remains finding a candidate who is genuine and serves us well.”

On the flip side, Harris faces challenges as her team strives to mitigate Trump’s potential to attract white male voters, demographics that have increasingly favored Republicans. Currently, about half of men view her unfavorably, and 60% of white men express negative opinions. Particularly, white men without a college degree, who have historically supported Trump, are notably critical of Harris.

Conversely, she enjoys higher favorability among white women, especially those who are college-educated. Around 60% of white women with college degrees view her positively, compared to about 40% among those without a degree. Overall, white women’s opinions about Harris appear divided, with 49% viewing her favorably and 46% unfavorably.

Support for Harris among older adults remains steady, with half of the respondents over 60 holding positive opinions, consistent with her standing from June.

Brian Mowrer, a recently retired individual from Wisconsin who previously identified as a staunch Republican, indicates he will vote for Harris. He acknowledged support for Biden and felt relieved when Biden exited the race, believing it was in everyone’s best interest as Biden’s chances appeared to diminish.

“I’m glad they chose Kamala Harris,” he remarked. “At this point, I would likely support any Democrat.”

Mowrer’s motivation stems from a wish to prevent Trump from appointing more conservative justices to the Supreme Court, as he fears further erosion of the separation between church and state. He also seeks a candidate who supports access to abortion as a fundamental freedom issue, believing Harris fits this bill.

“I find her very good and authentic,” he expressed. “Her proposed policies align with what I believe should be prioritized.”

The poll involved 1,164 adults and was conducted from August 8 to August 12, 2024, using a representative sample from NORC’s AmeriSpeak Panel. The margin of sampling error for the respondents stands at plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.