Kamala’s DNC Bounce Fades in Latest NYTimes Poll

Any momentum Vice President Kamala Harris may have gained from last month’s Democratic National Convention (DNC) has quickly fizzled out, according to the latest New York Times/Siena poll. Conducted between September 3 and 6, the survey shows Harris trailing former President Donald Trump, with Trump leading 48% to Harris’ 47%.

Pollster Josh Kraushaar summed it up bluntly: “The Harris bounce, blown.” The Times noted that the responses were “largely unchanged” from a similar poll taken after President Biden’s decision to step down from seeking reelection in late July. This latest data is a clear signal that Harris’s DNC bump has all but disappeared.

The poll highlights several key areas where Harris’s campaign is struggling to connect with voters:

• Lack of policy clarity: Nearly 28% of likely voters indicated they still need more information about Harris and her policy positions before committing to a vote. In contrast, only 9% said the same about Trump.

• Undecided voters lean toward Trump: While 5% of those polled remain undecided, two-thirds of them expressed the desire to learn more about Harris’ policies before making a decision.

• Failure to distance from Biden: Over 60% of voters believe the next president should represent a major shift from Biden’s policies, yet only 25% see Harris as that change. Meanwhile, 53% say Trump fits the bill as the candidate for change.

Harris has been attempting to craft her image as a “change candidate,” hoping to distance herself from the unpopular Biden-Harris administration. However, it’s clear that many voters are not buying it. The administration’s failures—particularly on the economy and national security—are still fresh in the minds of voters, and Harris is struggling to shake that association.

Further complicating Harris’ campaign is her approach of branding Trump and his running mate, Senator JD Vance (R-OH), as "extreme." According to the poll, this strategy has not resonated with voters. Only 32% view Trump as “too conservative,” while 47% see Harris as “too liberal.”

While abortion is seen as Harris’ strongest issue, the poll also shows she may not be on firm ground. Despite her claims that Trump will enact a federal abortion ban, 16% of Democrats and nearly half of independent voters do not believe Trump has any intention of doing so.

In Tuesday’s upcoming debate on ABC News, Harris will face an uphill battle as she tries to prove she is the candidate of change and push back against her plummeting poll numbers. With key voter segments still unconvinced, it’s clear she has a lot of work to do if she hopes to gain any lasting traction.

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