“Harris Support Heat Surpasses Obama in 2008”

Is This Presidential Election Vote More Enthusiastic?
Gallup Survey: 78% of Democratic Supporters Say Yes
Republican Supporters Show 64% Enthusiasm

Similar to Obama's 79% in 2008
Poll Conducted Before Democratic Primary
Support May Be Even Higher

[Image source=Yonhap News]

There is an analysis suggesting that the enthusiasm of Democratic-leaning voters for U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris may be even greater than that for former President Barack Obama during his 2008 candidacy.

According to a poll released on the 28th (local time) by Gallup, when asked whether voters are more passionate about voting in this presidential election compared to previous ones, 78% of Democratic party members or Democratic-leaning voters who are likely to vote for Vice President Harris answered "yes." In contrast, 64% of Republican party members or Republican-leaning voters likely to vote for former President Trump responded "yes" to the same question.

The enthusiasm among Democratic supporters appears to have surpassed that of Republican supporters for former President Trump, as it has risen significantly from 55% in May when President Joe Biden was the Democratic presidential candidate.

In particular, the current Democratic voting enthusiasm is at a level similar to February 2008 (79%), when former President Obama and former Secretary Hillary Clinton fiercely competed in the presidential primary. The Washington Post (WP) explained, "This is higher than the 12 Gallup polls conducted during the 2008 and 2012 presidential runs of former President Obama, and also higher than the peak Republican enthusiasm of 70% since 2000."

WP also noted that since this Gallup poll was conducted from the 1st to the 20th, before the Democratic National Convention, there is a possibility that the support level could be even higher than during former President Obama's time.

Additionally, it was found that support for Vice President Harris is increasingly not just about preventing former President Trump's re-election, unlike when President Biden was the Democratic candidate. Recently, Vice President Harris has emphasized the message of becoming a "president for the middle and low-income classes," positioning herself in opposition to former President Trump.

According to a poll released on the 27th by The Economist and YouGov, only 35% of Vice President Harris supporters said they vote "to oppose former President Trump." Meanwhile, 62% said they vote for Vice President Harris herself. In contrast, last month, when Biden was still a candidate before withdrawing, 60% said they supported Biden to prevent former President Trump's re-election.

WP analyzed this by stating, "(The enthusiasm for Vice President Harris) seems to be a combination of significant passion for Harris herself along with the Democratic hostility toward former President Trump."

Vice President Harris has projected herself as a figure representing middle- and low-income households struggling with high inflation since the convention, which analysts say has resonated with the American public. According to The New York Times (NYT), Vice President Harris aired six campaign ads in the week following the convention, focusing on stories such as her working at McDonald's as a student, recalling her mother, and feeling the difficulty of owning a home?messages emphasizing her concern for the everyday lives of Americans and her commitment to policies for them if she becomes president.