In an instant CNN/SSRS survey, a majority of voters who watched Tuesday’s debate declared Kamala Harris the winner, securing 63 percent of the vote. In contrast, 37 percent of respondents believed Donald Trump came out on top.
Pre-Debate Expectations and Surprising Results
Harris’ victory is particularly noteworthy because expectations before the debate were evenly split. 50 percent of those polled predicted Harris would win, while the other half expected a Trump victory. This shift indicates Harris outperformed voter expectations during the debate.
Poll Methodology and Margin of Error
The flash poll was conducted on Tuesday night via text message. Voters were recruited ahead of time and agreed to participate after the debate concluded. It’s important to note that this group is not representative of the entire electorate, and the poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 5.3 percentage points. Still, the results provide a snapshot of viewer sentiment immediately following the event.
Comparison to June Debate Results
This result marks a sharp contrast to the debate between Trump and President Joe Biden earlier in June. In that post-debate poll, two-thirds of voters declared Trump the winner, with only one-third supporting Biden. The shift in favor of Harris in this most recent poll highlights the evolving dynamics in the 2024 election.
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