CNN anchor Anderson Cooper expressed skepticism over recent polls showing Vice President Kamala Harris leading in the 2024 presidential race. Cooper, appearing on “Late Night with Stephen Colbert,” discussed his concerns about the accuracy of polling, given past mistakes in underestimating President Donald Trump’s support in both the 2016 and 2020 elections.
“I don’t think I buy them,” Cooper said, referring to polls showing Harris with an advantage. While Harris has experienced a surge in polling after becoming the Democratic nominee in July, Cooper’s comments suggest that he’s wary of trusting the numbers, recalling how Trump’s support was largely missed by pollsters in the last two elections.
Harris has seen her favorability improve since joining the race, with a recent CNN report showing her rising from a -14 net favorability rating to a +1 rating. Meanwhile, Trump continues to hold a -9 favorability rating. Despite these numbers, analysts like Nate Silver have urged caution, reminding voters that polls underestimated Trump in both previous elections.
Silver also noted that there are still three months to go before Election Day, leaving room for unexpected developments that could change the dynamics of the race. Cooper echoed these concerns, warning that the polls may not fully capture Trump’s support.
As Harris enjoys a bump in the RealClearPolitics polling average, the question remains whether these polls will hold true, or if the polling errors from previous elections will repeat themselves, leaving Trump in a stronger position than anticipated.
