Pollsters Jim and John McLaughlin, speaking on Newsmax's "Chris Salcedo Show," highlighted data showing former President Donald Trump's dominance over Vice President Kamala Harris on critical voter issues like immigration and inflation while raising concerns about biased polling and media coverage favoring Harris.
On Tuesday, Jim McLaughlin also pointed out that voters struggle to name any significant achievements when asked about Harris' accomplishments.
"They can't tell us anything," he said. "Just the fact that they might mention she's been vice president, but they don't give her credit for anything." He cited a recent CBS poll showing Trump leading Harris by a substantial margin among independent voters, particularly on pivotal issues like immigration and inflation. According to the poll, he said, Trump holds a 52-point advantage on immigration (76% to 24%) and a 24-point lead on inflation (62% to 38%). "On the issues that the voters care about most, Donald Trump's winning," Jim McLaughlin stated.
John McLaughlin then discussed discrepancies in polling data, particularly the Ipsos/ABC and the New York Times/Siena polls. He criticized these polls for lacking transparency and underrepresenting Republican respondent voters. "In the 2020 CNN exit polls in Wisconsin, there were 37% Republican. The New York Times dropped it to 27%, ten points lower," John explained, adding that similar adjustments were made in Michigan. According to John, these shifts artificially suppress Trump's support, making the race seem closer than it is. Despite these tactics, he remained optimistic about Trump's prospects, noting that even some of Trump's critics, like David Axelrod, acknowledge that Trump could win.
Jim McLaughlin echoed this sentiment, arguing that media bias plays a significant role in shaping public perception. He referenced a Media Research Center (MRC) study showing that 89% of media coverage on Harris has been positive since she received the nomination. In comparison, 84% of Trump's media coverage has been negative. Despite this disparity, Jim believes voters are "seeing through this" and that Democrats are underestimating the intelligence of the American electorate. He asserted that as voters focus more on issues like immigration and inflation, Trump's chances of victory will increase.
The McLaughlins also discussed voters' lack of awareness about Harris' policy positions. John highlighted an MRC poll indicating that many Democratic and independent voters who supported Biden in 2020 were unaware of Harris' stances on key issues. For instance, 71% did not know she supported defunding the police, and 81% were unaware of her opposition to private health insurance. John stressed that it would be up to Trump to expose these positions during the upcoming debates.
As the 2024 election season heats up, the McLaughlins believe the polls may not fully reflect Trump's strength, especially as he continues leading on the most important issues to voters. "The more the voters focus on that, the better Donald Trump is going to [will] win," Jim concluded.
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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