Biden, Harris Seen As More Moderate Than Trump In Poll Despite ‘Radical Left’ Attacks

TOPLINE

The Trump campaign has gone all in on branding former Vice President Joe Biden and his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) as “radical leftists,” but a new poll suggests those attacks have been largely ineffective at swaying public opinion.

KEY FACTS

Crucial Quote

The Biden campaign hasn’t done much to parry Trump’s attacks on Harris as a radical leftist, and there may be a good reason for that. Even when voters are introduced to Harris’s relatively progressive policy proposals and record, voters view her favorably, according to Morning Consult reporter Eli Yokley. “Harris’ policy record — including her support for raising taxes on the rich and placing restrictions on gun ownership, as well as her implementation of racial bias training for police officers while serving as San Francisco’s district attorney — inspired the most positive reception,” he wrote of the poll’s findings.

Big Number

5%. An ABC News/Ipsos poll of 930 registered voters released Thursday found that Harris is viewed more favorably than any of the other major party candidates and is, in fact, the only candidate with a positive favorability margin. 37% of voters polled said they have a favorable view of her, compared to 32% who have an unfavorable view. That’s compared to a 2-point deficit for Biden, a 14-point deficit for Pence and a 24-point deficit for Trump.

What To Watch For

Trump and his campaign have already begun to move on from conventional political warfare to more severe attacks on Harris. In an interview with Fox News on Thursday, Trump referred to Harris as a “mad woman,” while his campaign’s legal advisor Jenna Ellis erroneously questioned whether Harris – who was born in Oakland, California – is eligible to be vice president under the 14th amendment due to both her parents being immigrants.