New Polls: Kamala Harris Jumps To The Top Three After Epic Debate Performance
Since becoming one of the breakout stars of last week’s Democratic presidential debates, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) has jumped up at least six points in the polls.
According to a recent Morning Consult survey, which collected 2,407 responses after the final debate on June 27, at least 12% of Democratic primary voters said Harris was their first choice for president. Before the debates, Harris was polling at 6%.
As it stands, Harris has now passed South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg to claim a share of third place with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).
Harris’ six-point rise in the polls also came at the expense of the current front runner, former Vice President Joe Biden, whose support dropped by five points.
During the debates, Harris directly confronted Biden about his past opposition to federally mandating the busing of Black students to integrate schools.
“It was hurtful to hear you talk about the reputations of two United States senators who built their reputations and career on the segregation of race in this country. And it was not only that, but you also worked with them to oppose busing,” she said about the Department of Education integration policy of busing to integrate schools during the 1970s.
“And, you know, there was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools, and she was bused to school every day. And that little girl was me,” Harris said.
Many voters felt Biden appeared caught off guard by the Senator’s story about being one of the students bused to integrate a California school.
"I did not oppose busing in America," Biden replied. "What I opposed is busing ordered by the Department of Education, that's what I opposed."
Although Biden’s support dropped from 38% to 33%, he remains the first choice candidate for most Democratic voters; Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders remains in second.
The Morning Consult post-debate survey has a 2-point margin of error.
Kamala Harris’ surge in the polls has also been accompanied by an influx in cash to her campaign. She’s raked in more than $2 million in donations as the second-quarter deadline approaches, much of which came in following her strong debate performance.