Top pollster Frank Luntz sees signs that the "honeymoon period is officially over" for Vice President Kamala Harris, the UK Daily Mail reported. The influential GOP pollster believes the boost Democrats received after Harris was named the Democratic nominee has all but dried up as the candidates head into their first debate.
A nonpartisan online poll showed Harris hitting her peak in voter enthusiasm after the Democratic National Convention. Now, a YouGov poll has her and former President Donald Trump locked in a statistical tie at around 60% of voters who reported being "very enthusiastic" or "extremely enthusiastic."
As Luntz pointed out, "Quite a sharp drop in Democratic voter enthusiasm in this month’s YouGov poll. (It was 70% last month.) The honeymoon period is officially over," Luntz posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday.
Quite a sharp drop in Democratic voter enthusiasm in this month’s YouGov poll. (It was 70% last month.)
The honeymoon period is officially over. https://t.co/fVXiQgdfXv
— Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) September 4, 2024
Democrats were in a slump among their voters when President Joe Biden sought reelection. Since he stepped aside and left Harris as the presumptive nominee, her star has steadily risen, giving Democrats hope.
However, the height of enthusiasm seems to have come and gone following the DNC. Now, CNN reported, Harris has settled into a statistical tie with Trump in six key battleground states.
The closest race is in Pennsylvania, where Harris and Trump are locked in a dead heat at 47% among likely voters. In Georgia and Nevada, Harris and Trump received 47% and 48% support, respectively.
Wisconsin is polling 50% for Harris and 44% for Trump while Arizona is at 44% for Harris and 49% for Trump. Finally, likely voters in Michigan are 48% for Harris and 43% for Trump.
These states are vital for Harris to have a path to victory, and they are ones that President Joe Biden won in 2020. Notably, 15% of likely voters reported not having committed to either candidate, perhaps pointing to the importance of the upcoming debate in winning over voters.
On Sept. 10, the two candidates will face off in Philadelphia for the first time, and the pollster is certain this will convince or turn away voters depending on how the candidates do. According to The Hill, Luntz warned that next week's debate "is everything" to the candidates.
"When the voter sees side by side the two candidates and they listen to what they say, not just the answers, it’s the body language. Is there contempt? Does someone fold their arms? Do they look at the individual when they’re speaking? Do they seem presidential in their approach?" Luntz said Monday on CNN.
He noted that there are different criteria for each candidate. "For Trump, can he keep quiet? Can he actually listen to a response, or does he have to respond to everything," Luntz added.
"For Harris, does she seem open-minded? Does she seem willing to take in information not just project? Each of them has different goals for that debate, but each one, in the end, has to prove that they’re ready, not just for that moment, but voters are thinking ‘who do I want to represent me two years from now, three or four years from now?" Luntz said.
Voters often pay more attention in the weeks leading up to Election Day. As that's beginning to happen, Harris is losing more support which could spell major trouble for her come November.
