Vice President Kamala Harris is perceived to have an edge over former President Donald Trump in several key leadership qualities, according to a poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The poll reveals that Americans view Harris more favorably on attributes like honesty and commitment to democracy, though Trump is slightly more trusted on issues like the economy and immigration.
The survey shows that nearly half of Americans believe that Harris is more “committed to democracy” and “disciplined,” with about 3 in 10 attributing these qualities to Trump. Additionally, around 4 in 10 Americans feel that Harris “cares about people like you,” compared to about 3 in 10 who say the same about Trump. When it comes to honesty, about 4 in 10 think Harris embodies this trait, while only 24% believe it better describes Trump.
As both parties gear up for the upcoming election, they are working to define Harris’s image, especially as she prepares to accept the Democratic nomination at the party’s convention next week. The poll suggests that while Harris may carry some of the same challenges that burdened President Joe Biden before he withdrew from the race, she also holds advantages over Trump in direct comparisons. Notably, Democrats express greater enthusiasm for her candidacy than they did for Biden’s.
Throughout the campaign, Trump has portrayed himself as a strong leader, capable of managing the nation’s most pressing crises, while casting doubt on Harris’s ability to command respect from foreign leaders if she were to assume the presidency. However, the poll indicates that Trump does not hold a significant advantage in this area. About 4 in 10 Americans view both Trump and Harris as strong leaders, and a similar percentage believes each is capable of handling a crisis.
When it comes to electability, Americans are nearly evenly split on whether Trump or Harris is more likely to win in November. In contrast, a July poll conducted before Biden exited the race showed that only about 2 in 10 Americans believed Biden had a better chance of winning, compared to roughly twice as many who thought Trump was more likely to succeed.
“Trump had a better chance when Joe Biden was running,” said Lisa Miller, a 42-year-old student and Republican from Elko, Nevada. “I think a lot of people who were insecure about Joe Biden are more secure with Kamala Harris’s age and cognitive abilities.”
