Even as pundits focused on this week’s Democratic National Convention, the Trump campaign received some encouraging news.
As a new Rasmussen poll reveals, President Donald Trump’s approval showed a four-point increase in the daily presidential tracking survey.
Significant gain for Trump
The unexpected shift in public sentiment came in the wake of Wednesday evening’s acceptance speech by Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s running mate, U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA).
Pollsters found that Trump’s approval jumped from 47% to 51% overnight, likely concerning Biden’s team in the days ahead of the Republican National Convention, which begins next week.
Rather than merely showing an anomalous spike, Friday’s report found that his approval rating held steady at 51% for a second day.
Not only did the convention apparently fail to inflict any damage to the Trump campaign, it did not live up to the ratings of the same event four years ago. According to the Federalist, viewership on cable and network outlets during the first two nights of programming was down by about 48% compared to the 2016 convention.
The latest Rasmussen numbers were reportedly collected as the convention was ongoing, which likely does little to assuage the fears among some Democrats that voters lack the enthusiasm necessary to carry Biden to an Election Day victory.
High hopes for DNC
Convention speakers have included prominent Democrats including former presidents and first ladies Barack and Michelle Obama, and Bill and Hillary Clinton.
“We know how important it is that we elect real leaders like Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, people of honor and integrity, who hold justice close to their hearts and believe that the lives of my four Black children matter,” said Atlanta, Georgia, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms in her convention address.
Though much of the rhetoric has been aimed at a negative representation of the Trump administration, Biden’s acceptance speech did include a list of policy issues he promised to address if elected.
“The worst pandemic in over 100 years,” Biden said. “The worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. The most compelling call for racial justice since the ’60s. And the undeniable realities and accelerating threats of climate change.”
Nearly 50 years after he was first elected to public office, however, many voters are likely wondering why he hasn’t already made more progress in these areas.
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