CNN anchor Anderson Cooper recently expressed his doubts about polls showing Kamala Harris leading President Donald Trump in the 2024 race, citing the polls’ past failures in accurately reflecting Trump’s support. During an appearance on “Late Night with Stephen Colbert,” Cooper voiced his growing concerns about Harris’ chances despite her current edge in polling averages.
“I mean, I report on them… but deep down inside, I don’t think I buy them,” Cooper told Colbert, reflecting on how polls in 2016 and 2020 underestimated Trump’s ability to mobilize his base. Harris has seen her polling numbers rise since President Biden suspended his campaign in July, handing her the Democratic nomination.
Harris has also experienced a jump in favorability ratings, going from a net negative of -14 points in July to a +1 rating by September. Meanwhile, Trump remains at a -9 favorability rating. However, analysts like Nate Silver have reminded voters that polls have historically been wrong about Trump’s chances.
“People should remember… the polls have been wrong before,” Silver said, noting that Trump was underestimated in both the 2016 and 2020 elections. With three months remaining until Election Day, Silver cautioned that there is still time for the race to shift unexpectedly.
Cooper’s skepticism, combined with the caution from experts like Silver, suggests that the polls showing Harris in the lead may not tell the full story. Given Trump’s history of outperforming expectations, Cooper’s doubts are a reminder that the race may be far from decided.
