CNN data analyst Harry Enten seemed surprised on Wednesday by the rise in approval ratings since Vice President Kamala Harris, who was a historically unpopular vice president before Biden dropped out of the race, entered the race.
“I think this is a really dramatic move,” Enten said, noting that when Harris entered the race her net favorability rating was minus 14 points. “Just by entering the race, a month later it was up to minus three points. And then this week, for the first time, her net favorability rating turned positive, which means more people view her favorably than unfavorably.”
According to Enten, as of September 18, Harris' favorability rating is +1, while former President Trump's is -9. According to a CNN data reporter, Biden's current favorability rating is -14.
“If you would have asked me two months ago whether I thought Kamala Harris would be an overall positive influence in this race, I would have said, 'You're crazy,'” Enten said. “But the reality is, you're not crazy, I just wasn't thinking creatively,” he added.
CNN data experts say Harris, who has Taylor Swift's endorsement, is under-supported by young voters
CNN reporter Harry Enten seemed surprised Wednesday by how likable Vice President Kamala Harris was. (Screenshot/CNN)
“Because Harris was vice president, I think her net favorability rating initially was roughly the same as Biden's, but once she got on the campaign trail and became a candidate in her own right, her net favorability rating skyrocketed and she is now the only one of the three with a positive favorability rating,” Enten added.
Enten also noted that Harris has been polling better against Trump than other mainstream Democratic candidates.
“Right now, Kamala Harris has a three point lead in the national popular vote polls. She's actually slightly ahead, but still ahead of the typical House Democrat. So, to me, this is the idea that not only did she meet the typical benchmark when she began her campaign, she's actually slightly ahead of the typical benchmark. This plays into the whole issue of whether Kamala Harris and her campaign know what they're doing, despite the fact that people don't like the economy,” Enten said.
Enten added that the economy is keeping the race close.
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Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris is interviewed by National Association of Black Journalists members Tonya Mosley and Jaren Keith Gaynor and host Eugene Daniels at the WHYY studios in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Luke)
Enten warned Monday that Harris is in the “danger zone” given her chances of winning the Electoral College.
“Even if Harris wins the popular vote by two or three points, she only has a 53% chance of winning the Electoral College. So the bottom line is that for Harris to have a clear chance of winning the Electoral College — a majority, a clear majority — she has to win all the way north by three or four points. If she wins by two points or less, she only has a 23% chance of winning,” he noted.
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“Harris is currently in a danger zone where she basically has a 50/50 chance of winning given the margin of votes nationwide,” Enten added.
