As the election approaches, the focus has shifted to the responses of the candidates to the ongoing hurricane season. According to The Breakthrough, a CNN polling project, the public’s attention is on former President Donald Trump’s legal troubles and responses to the hurricanes. Hurricane Helene, which has caused significant damage in the southeastern United States, was a frequently mentioned topic related to Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. The poll was conducted before Hurricane Milton hit Florida, highlighting the relevance of candidates’ responses to natural disasters.
Responses to the hurricanes differed among Democrats and Republicans when it came to Vice President Harris. Democrats highlighted her work with FEMA to provide assistance and recovery efforts in affected areas, praising her for consoling victims. On the other hand, Republicans criticized her for allegedly providing inadequate support to hurricane victims while sending significant aid to other countries. These contrasting perspectives show the political divide in how the candidates’ responses to natural disasters are perceived by different groups.
In addition to the hurricanes, recent data also revealed a focus on other events related to the candidates. Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where an assassination attempt took place, garnered attention, as well as his appearance with Elon Musk and the legal brief against him by special counsel Jack Smith. Democrats were more likely to mention Trump’s response to the January 6 Capitol attack or label him as a liar, while Republicans were more focused on his handling of the hurricanes.
A notable increase in mentions related to Trump’s legal issues was observed in the latest data, with 14% of respondents referencing words related to his legal troubles. This was the highest share since early September, indicating a heightened focus on this aspect of Trump’s campaign. For Harris, endorsements played a role in mentions, with 8% of respondents referencing support from figures like Dick Cheney and his daughter Liz Cheney. Previous endorsements from Oprah Winfrey and Taylor Swift also generated attention for the Vice President.
Overall, sentiments towards Harris in the public discourse were slightly more positive than towards Trump. While this does not necessarily reflect personal feelings towards the candidates, it indicates that mentions of Harris tended to be more positive in tone compared to those of Trump. However, the general sentiment towards both candidates in the data was more negative than positive, highlighting the divisive nature of the current political climate leading up to the election.
