That feeling you’ve experienced since Vice President Kamala Harris entered the race for the top job in 2024? Those good vibes? It’s not just you.
There's been a general perception that people are more excited about the new matchup in November. That’s reflected in the size of the crowds greeting Harris and running mate Gov. Tim Walz. It’s even reflected in the engagement with stories at Daily Kos.
As journalist Fareed Zakaria wrote in a Washington Post op-ed on Saturday, it seems like The Force is solidly behind team blue. Part of that is how Harris has reintroduced herself to America. Rather than hitting voters with a barrage of policy positions or attack ads, Harris has stepped into the spotlight using “entirely human terms, presenting herself as a dynamic, warm, funny and optimistic person. It’s heavy on vibes, and, so far, it seems to be working,” Zakaria said.
But is it working outside of political junkies and Beltway pundits? According to a new survey from Civiqs, the answer is a firm “yes.”
Since Harris began her candidacy on July 21, Civiqs’ polling has seen a huge jump in the share of Democrats who feel “hopeful” about the future of the United States. There has been a similar jump in those who feel "excited." (Respondents were asked to select one word.)
At the other end of the scale, the share of Democrats who report feeling "scared," "depressed," or "angry" have all seen big declines. Which certainly makes it feel as if Harris is the cure for at least one type of the blues.
As Zakaria noted in his op-ed, this is a massive shift in the political winds. Less than three weeks ago (three weeks ago!), Republicans seemed to be in charge of the national zeitgeist. Donald Trump was playing his chords of doom and carnage.
“Harris’s hopefulness—the sense of “joy” that Walz speaks of on the campaign trail—appears to be dominating,” wrote Zakaria
Zakaria also suggests that Harris’ momentum has “a ceiling.” That’s probably true. But for now, the hopefulness is real, the joy is real, the vibe is real.
Enjoy.
Share the joy. Send $10 to the Harris-Walz campaign and just … vibe, man, vibe (and then get out there and work your butt off to make sure the good vibes continue after Election Day, of course).
