Kamala Harris’ recent visit to the border and economic policy speech have garnered attention from Americans, according to polling data from The Breakthrough. However, a concerning trend shows a decline in the share of Americans hearing about Harris since her presidential debate with Donald Trump in early September. The tone in which Americans describe what they’ve heard about Harris has also turned more negative, with words like “lie” being frequently associated with her in recent data.
A survey conducted by SSRS and Verasight for research teams from CNN, Georgetown University, and the University of Michigan measured what Americans have recently heard about Harris and Trump. While only a small percentage of Americans mention words like “lie” or “liar” in relation to Harris, the mentions have grown over time. Some respondents have criticized Harris for not delivering on her promises and for being insincere in her statements.
Recent data shows a shift in American responses towards Harris, with a focus on immigration and the economy following her efforts to bring attention to these topics. This marks the first time that multiple policy-related subjects have landed in the top five for Harris, with a significant increase in mentions of immigration-related words. While some respondents appreciate Harris’ policies and solutions, there are still negative sentiments expressed towards her campaign.
On Trump’s side, the attention remains on the assassination attempts against him, although mentions of immigration have decreased. His meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also garnered attention, with some respondents criticizing his lack of enthusiasm in helping Ukraine. Calls labeling Trump a liar persistently appear in responses about him, with about 8% of the latest data referencing him as a liar.
Though responses about Harris are generally less negative than those about Trump, there has been a decline in overall sentiment towards her in recent data. Trump’s numbers have slightly rebounded following a post-debate drop in sentiment. While sentiment towards Harris has become more negative across parties, sentiment towards Trump has remained steady among Republicans and shifted slightly less negative among independents and Democrats.
The latest poll shows that a slightly smaller percentage of Americans reported hearing about Harris compared to Trump. This marks the fourth consecutive week with more people mentioning Trump than Harris, with a decrease in the attention for both candidates from the previous week. The overall level of attention to the presidential candidates in this election cycle is lower than in previous cycles, possibly due to the timing of debates. The respondents in the latest survey expressed quieter weeks with less news about the candidates.
