Elections
Post-Debate Polling and Focus Groups Suggest Trump Gained or Held Ground with Voters
Despite political pundits declaring Vice President Kamala Harris a victor in Tuesday evening’s highly anticipated presidential debate, post-debate polling and focus groups suggest that former President Donald Trump either gained ground or held his own in key areas, particularly among undecided voters.
The 90-minute debate, hosted by ABC News, saw Harris and Trump engage in spirited exchanges on topics ranging from the economy to foreign policy. While Harris was praised for landing several pointed criticisms of Trump’s presidency, the former president often deflected, rambling in some of his responses and quarreling with moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis, as well as Harris.
A CNN flash poll conducted immediately after the debate showed Harris improving her favorability ratings, with 45% of respondents viewing her favorably compared to 44% unfavorably. Before the debate, Harris had been underwater in her approval ratings, sitting at 39% favorable and 50% unfavorable. This was seen as a win for Harris among analysts, who viewed the debate as an opportunity for her to connect with voters and elevate her standing.
Trump, however, appeared to maintain a steady base of support, with his favorability shifting slightly from 41% to 39% and his unfavorable rating dipping by one point to 51%. While these numbers suggest a slight decline in his favorability, Trump’s resilience in key policy areas—particularly the economy—told a more complex story.
On the issue of the economy, Trump made gains. Post-debate polling revealed that 55% of respondents preferred Trump to handle the economy compared to 35% for Harris, an improvement over pre-debate numbers, which had Trump at 53% to Harris’ 37%. Economic concerns have consistently been a strong point for Trump, and his debate performance appeared to reinforce voter confidence in his handling of the issue.
A headline from *The New York Times* echoed the ambiguity many voters felt following the debate, stating, “Pundits Said Harris Won the Debate. Undecided Voters Weren’t So Sure.” The article highlighted interviews with undecided voters who were not fully swayed by Harris’ performance, with several expressing that they were leaning toward Trump following the debate. Some voters felt that Harris, while polished and prepared, did not provide enough substance to earn their full support.
In a Reuters article that Trump himself reshared on social media, the sentiment was similar. The piece featured interviews with ten undecided voters, six of whom said they leaned toward Trump after the debate, while three favored Harris, and one remained undecided.
While Harris’ performance may have won over some viewers and boosted her favorability, Trump’s ability to hold steady—particularly on the economy—signals that the race remains competitive. As the 2024 presidential election draws nearer, both candidates will likely continue to court undecided voters, a group that may ultimately decide the outcome of the election.
Elections
Canada Beefs up Border Security After Trump Threatened Sweeping Tariffs
In November, president-elect Donald Trump announced on social media that he would impose a 25% tariff on all products from Canada and Mexico if they do not take an active role in containing illegal immigration as well as the level of illicit drugs entering into the United States.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Trump at his residence in Mar-a-Lago, after which the Canadian government vowed to secure the border. “We got, I think, a mutual understanding of what they’re concerned about in terms of border security,” Minister of Public Safety Dominic LeBlanc, who accompanied Trudeau at Mar-a-Largo, said of the meeting in an interview with Canadian media. “All of their concerns are shared by Canadians and by the government of Canada.”
“We talked about the security posture currently at the border that we believe to be effective, and we also discussed additional measures and visible measures that we’re going to put in place over the coming weeks,” LeBlanc continued. “And we also established, Rosemary, a personal series of rapport that I think will continue to allow us to make that case.”
The Daily Caller News Foundation reports the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is preparing to beef up its immigration enforcement capabilities by hiring more staff, adding more vehicles and creating more processing facilities, in the chance that there is an immigration surge sparked by Trump’s presidential election victory. The moves are a change in direction from Trudeau’s public declaration in January 2017 that Canada was a “welcoming” country and that “diversity is our strength” just days after Trump was sworn into office the first time.
The Daily Caller notes the differences in response from the Canadian government verses Mexico’s:
Trudeau’s recent overtures largely differ from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who has indicated she is not willing to bend the knee to Trump’s tariff threats. The Mexican leader in November said “there will be a response in kind” to any tariff levied on Mexican goods going into the U.S., and she appeared to deny the president-elect’s claims that she agreed to do more to beef up border security in a recent phone call.
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