Tellwut Survey Results: Kamala Harris vs. Donald Trump Debate Analysis
On September 10th, a highly anticipated debate took place between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. A few surveys conducted by Tellwut and our members from September 13-20 gathered insights from over 2,000 members, and the results offer a fascinating snapshot of public opinion following the debate.
Debate Viewership and Opinions
56% of Tellwut members reported watching the debate, with the majority of respondents (61%) believing that Kamala Harris emerged as the winner, compared to 25% siding with Trump. A significant portion (13%) remained undecided. Additionally, 51% of respondents expressed that there should be another debate, though 27% disagreed, and 22% were unsure.
The survey revealed mixed opinions on the truthfulness of both candidates. Only 29% believed Trump was truthful during the debate, while 60% said he was not, and 11% were undecided. Harris fared slightly better, with 50% considering her truthful, 34% undecided, and 16% disagreeing. Tellwut member joan.misch stated "Why are so many fooled by her acting performance and the lies she tells? It was also 3 people attacking Trump and saying he was not correct on 5 or more Times while the really liar Kamal was not fact checked once on numerous lies.Trump has a proven record on every area of leadership.Kamala can't even say that things were better when she was the last one in the room on decitions that were made." while ninad kept it simple, commenting "Trump always lies."
Respondents identified "Leadership and Credibility" as the most significant issue during the debate, with 37% of the votes. Other notable concerns were the economy (23%), abortion rights (19%), and immigration (18%).
Trump claimed the debate was "rigged" against him, a sentiment shared by 31% of Tellwut members. However, the majority (59%) disagreed with this statement, and 10% remained undecided. Member robinallison commented "The only comment I have to say is when something doesn't go Trump's way he says it was rigged. This is the same old tired excuse for a man who should just quietly go away and enjoy his Mar-a-lago home." while Lazer58 commented "It was rigged, most biased debate ever. Harris was never pushed despite telling lies moderators knew were lies"
Fact-Checking Trump's Controversial Claims
A heated moment came when Trump falsely claimed that Haitian immigrants in Ohio were eating pets, a statement promptly fact-checked by co-moderator David Muir. Fact-checking during live debates was seen as crucial by 71% of respondents, with only 16% disagreeing. sueb commented "Trump made a fool of himself as he always does. The lie about people eating cats and dogs was sad and petty. "
Trump also reiterated his misleading claim that Democrats support "abortions after birth," to which Harris responded, calling the statement "insulting to the women of America." 65% of survey participants agreed with Harris, while 25% sided with Trump.
Predictions for the Election
The survey reflected a growing confidence in Harris’ chances, with 66% predicting she will win the upcoming election, compared to 34% predicting Trump’s victory. According to the Election Betting Odds tracker, Harris had a slight edge at 51.8% to Trump's 46.9%.
Final Voting Preferences
If the election were held today, 48% of Tellwut members said they would vote for Harris, 39% for Trump, and the remainder either undecided (3%) or planning to vote for someone else (4%). A small group (4%) indicated they would abstain from voting altogether. Tellwutter brennyboo said "Harris keeps talking about a plan, but she never says what that plan is.....i don't think there really is one!...and all these promises she is making, she could have been doing those the last 3.5 years, what makes you think she's going to make good on them now....she's a bunch of hot air ...and without her (Obama) earpiece and when she goes off script..she's a blubbering mess....my vote is for Trump/Vance 2024! God Bless America! "
The results of this Tellwut survey paint a clear picture of public sentiment following the debate, with Harris emerging as the favored candidate among respondents in several key areas. It will be interesting to see how these opinions evolve as the election draws closer.