Debate Watchers: Harris Outshines Trump in CNN Flash Poll

The recent CNN poll conducted by SSRS revealed that registered voters who watched Tuesday’s presidential debate believe that Kamala Harris outperformed Donald Trump on stage. But what do these results really mean for the upcoming election?

One key takeaway from the poll is that debate watchers overwhelmingly felt that Harris did a better job than Trump, with 63% of respondents stating that Harris turned in a stronger performance. This is a significant shift from the June presidential debate, where Trump was perceived as the winner by a margin of 67% to 33%.

Furthermore, the poll indicated that Harris’ supporters were more confident in her abilities post-debate, with 96% of them believing she outperformed Trump. On the other hand, only 69% of Trump’s supporters credited him with having a better night.

In terms of voter perceptions, the poll found that Harris saw an improvement in favorability ratings, with 45% viewing her favorably compared to 44% unfavorably. This marks a positive shift from before the debate when only 39% of voters viewed her favorably. On the other hand, Trump’s favorability ratings remained relatively unchanged, with 39% rating him favorably and 51% unfavorably.

Interestingly, among political independents who watched the debate, Harris saw a significant rise in favorability, jumping from 30% before the debate to 48% after.

When it comes to key issues, Trump maintained an advantage over Harris on the economy, immigration, and being commander in chief. However, Harris was more trusted on issues such as abortion and protecting democracy.

Overall, the poll results reflect the opinions of debate watchers only and are not necessarily representative of the full voting public. The audience surveyed was found to be 6 points more Republican-leaning than Democratic-leaning.

In conclusion, while the debate may have influenced some voters’ perceptions of the candidates, the ultimate impact on the election remains to be seen. As the race continues to unfold, it will be crucial to monitor how these debates shape voter opinions and decisions leading up to the election day.