Beneath the surface of a tight presidential race and NBC News’ tied final national poll, the handful of voters who have wavered in recent weeks have illustrated the lesser-of-two-evils thinking that could ultimately decide the 2024 election.
As the race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump heats up, it is clear that both candidates have their share of supporters and detractors. However, it is the small but significant group of voters who have seriously considered switching their vote in the last few weeks that could ultimately sway the outcome of the election.
In the newest national NBC News poll, conducted over the last few days, 24 respondents who had seriously considered voting for Harris or Trump in the last two or three weeks before picking the other option were given the opportunity to share their thoughts in extended answers. While this is a small percentage of the overall poll, their responses shed light on the factors that are influencing voters who are torn about who to support in an election that could be decided by thin margins in key battleground states.
For those who considered Harris but ultimately chose to support Trump, their reasoning often centered around the economy or frustration with the direction of the Biden administration. Some also expressed concerns about Harris’ gender and whether she would be perceived as weak by other world leaders. One voter from New York in her mid-to-late 40s said, “I worry that other countries won’t take her seriously and they would take Trump more seriously.” Similarly, a Hispanic man in Missouri in his mid-to-late 20s stated, “Donald Trump appears to me as a bully, but it is good to have a bully in your corner, especially when they have proven that whatever they are doing is going to lower inflation.”
Other voters who considered Harris but ultimately chose Trump mentioned her laughter, perceived lack of principles, and concerns about her policies. One voter even mistakenly attributed a comment about Puerto Ricans made by a comedian at a recent Trump rally to the former president, saying, “The rally in New York City where he called Puerto Ricans trash, I really didn’t like that. I can’t vote for that.”
On the other hand, for the Harris supporters who briefly considered Trump, his tone and demeanor were major factors. One white woman from Wisconsin over the age of 65 said, “He’s very rude and I just don’t trust him. He lies too much for one thing.” Several voters also mentioned Trump’s recent rally at Madison Square Garden, where a comedian made sexist and other inflammatory comments, as something that turned them off. One voter from Texas, a woman between the ages of 60 and 64, said, “I’ve never had any respect for him and it’s hard to forget that he incited a riot that caused American people to attack the Capitol.”
In addition to these voters, the NBC News poll also asked about 400 respondents if they had seen, read, or heard something over the last few weeks about either candidate that gave them a more or less favorable impression. While 40% said they had seen something that made them view Harris more favorably, 43% said something made them view her less favorably. Similarly, 33% said they saw something that made them view Trump more favorably, while 46% said they saw something that made them view him less favorably.
Again, a handful of voters mentioned the rally comments about Puerto Ricans when describing something that made them view Trump more negatively. One middle-aged Florida man who is leaning toward Trump said, “She’s not distanced herself from Joe Biden. She’s just following the path Joe Biden has been on the past four years.” Another voter, a middle-aged woman from Idaho who is likely supporting a third-party candidate, said, “I think she is focusing on women’s needs. I think she attacks Trump. I feel that she does not get deep into the problem, like immigration. I feel like she says a bunch of smart words, but I do not get an answer.”
One voter, a woman in Louisiana between the ages of 30 and 34 who remains undecided, summed up the dilemma faced by many voters in this election. “As far as Kamala, not really sure what she’s done thus far for the country. And as far as Donald Trump, he’s done good for money,” she said. “But, he’s encouraged violence and racism in the country.”
With such a small group of
