After ABC’s presidential debate, a focus group of undecided voters showed a clear preference for Trump.
According to a Reuters interview with ten voters who had not yet decided who to support in the upcoming election, six said they were now either voting for or leaning toward Trump. In contrast, only three favored Harris, and one remained undecided.
Despite many pundits initially declaring Harris the debate’s winner, the data from undecided voters paints a different picture.
A New York Times survey of undecided voters found similar results, with many citing Harris’s “vague” responses as a key reason for their leanings toward Trump.
The economy emerged as a central issue during the debate, and undecided voters were particularly critical of Harris’s performance on this front.
Five out of ten respondents said they found her explanations on improving the economy and addressing the high cost of living too vague.
The high cost of living remains one of the top concerns for voters in the 2024 election, and Harris struggled to differentiate herself from the Biden administration, which many undecided voters blame for current economic challenges.
Robert Wheeler, a security firm executive from Nevada, was leaning toward Harris before the debate but has now shifted toward Trump. “I felt like the whole debate was Kamala Harris telling me why not to vote for Donald Trump instead of why she’s the right candidate,” Wheeler explained.
A similar sentiment was echoed by Mark Kadish, a Florida-based entrepreneur who remained frustrated with Harris’s lack of specifics. “There was no real meat and bones for her plans,” Kadish said.
Many undecided voters expressed that Harris failed to present a clear vision for her policies, particularly regarding economic issues.
Undecided voters who leaned toward Trump after the debate cited his economic track record as a major factor in their decision. Despite their dislike for Trump on a personal level, they trusted him more on economic issues.
Jason Henderson, a defense contractor from Arizona who previously voted for Barack Obama, said, “Trump had the more commanding presentation. There was nothing done by Harris that made me think she’s better. In any way.”
Many voters also pointed out that their personal financial situations were better during Trump’s presidency, even if they had reservations about his demeanor.
Keilah Miller, a voter from Milwaukee, said, “When Trump was in office — not going to lie — I was living way better. I’ve never been so down as in the past four years. It’s been so hard for me.”
Harris faces the difficult challenge of running on the Biden-Harris administration’s record while trying to promise a future of change.
This dilemma was apparent in the debate, as she needed to campaign on addressing issues like inflation, crime, and border security without undercutting the current administration’s policies.
Sixty-one percent of likely voters believe the next president should represent a major change from the Biden-Harris administration, according to a New York Times/Siena College poll. Yet only 25 percent believe Harris represents that change, while a majority see Trump as the candidate to bring it.
While Harris may have impressed some pundits, the focus group of undecided voters interviewed by Reuters and the New York Times revealed a more complicated reality. With six out of ten leaning toward Trump, the former president seems to have gained a significant edge in appealing to voters still on the fence.
Harris’s challenges in clarifying her economic vision and overcoming the Biden administration’s baggage may continue to sway undecided voters as Election Day approaches.