Kamala Harris Gains 8 Points in Favorability in a Week, But Approval Remains Below 50%: Poll

Vice President Kamala Harris has experienced a notable increase in her approval rating, rising by nearly eight percentage points in just a week, according to a recent ABC News/Ipsos poll.

The poll, conducted between July 26-27, shows Harris’ favorability now at 43%, compared to a previous 35% rating. Her unfavourable rating has decreased from 46% to 42%.

The shift appears to be driven by a more favourable view among independent voters, who now support Harris 44% to 40%, up from 28% to 47% the week before. Despite this boost, Harris still struggles to secure a majority approval, and the race remains tight compared to her predecessor, President Joe Biden, who withdrew from the race.

Biden’s favorability has also improved, standing at 37% favourable versus 50% unfavourable, up from 32% to 55% in the previous week.

Harris’s campaign has highlighted the recent surge in momentum, boasting over $200 million in fundraising within her first week as the presumptive Democratic nominee. According to RealClearPolitics, despite this progress, early polling still shows Harris trailing former President Donald Trump by 1.8 percentage points in a national five-way contest.

Donald Trump conveyed confidence that he would prevail against Kamala Harris. Annabelle Gordon – CNP / MEGA

The ABC News/Ipsos poll also assessed the favorability ratings of potential vice-presidential picks for Harris. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has a 13% favourable rating, while California Governor Gavin Newsom stands at 21%. Other figures include Josh Shapiro (17%), Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (20%), North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper (7%), Arizona Senator Mark Kelly (22%), and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (6%).

Harris is expected to announce her vice-presidential choice within the next two weeks, ahead of the Democrats’ virtual roll call to officially nominate her for president.

In contrast, Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, has 24% favourable and 39% unfavourable ratings, with 36% of respondents undecided or uninformed about him. The Harris campaign has targeted Vance to diminish his public image as part of their broader strategy against Trump.

The poll surveyed 1,200 adults nationally with a margin of error of ±3 percentage points.