APRIL HARVARD CAPS / HARRIS POLL: TRUMP LEADS BIDEN BY 4 POINTS AS IMMIGRATION AND INFLATION REMAIN TOP CONCERNS

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The April Harvard CAPS / Harris Poll reveals that President Donald Trump leads Joe Biden by 4 points, with concern over immigration and inflation remaining high among voters. The poll also highlights voter preferences for domestic focus over foreign affairs, support for Israel amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, and disapproval of universities amidst campus protests. The results show a generational divide on issues like Israel and the handling of Gaza by Hamas.

Positive

• President Trump leads Joe Biden by 4 points in the April Harvard CAPS / Harris Poll.

• Voter concern over immigration and inflation remains high, indicating a politically engaged electorate.

• A majority of voters support focusing on domestic issues over military and foreign affairs.

• Strong support for Israel continues amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Negative

• President Biden's job approval rating lags behind Trump's, showing an 11-point deficit.

• A significant number of voters believe Trump has committed crimes, despite approving of his job as president.

• Disapproval of universities is high, indicating concerns over campus protests and antisemitism.

58% OF VOTERS BELIEVE THE U.S. LACKS LEADERSHIP TO HANDLE WORLD AFFAIRS BUT MOST WANT FOCUS ON DOMESTIC ISSUES

ISRAEL SUPPORT REMAINS UNCHANGED WHILE UNIVERSITIES UNDER CLOUD

NEW YORK and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) today released the results of the April Harvard CAPS / Harris poll, a monthly collaboration between the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard (CAPS) and the Harris Poll and HarrisX.

President Joe Biden's overall approval rating is steady at 44%, while Donald Trump leads the horse race by 4 points. The poll also covers public opinion on foreign policy and the Israel-Hamas war. Download key results here. 

"American voters are fundamentally utilitarian," said Mark Penn, Co-Director of the Harvard CAPS / Harris poll and Stagwell Chairman and CEO. "Despite legal and age issues, voters care most about how well Biden and Trump performed as president and on that measure, right now they favor Trump."

ELECTION FUNDAMENTALS SEE LITTLE CHANGE BUT TRUMP LEAD WIDENS

• Immigration and inflation continue to be voters' top concerns, tied at 35% each this month.
• 55% of voters believe Trump has committed crimes for which he should be convicted, but 55% say separately that they approve of the job he did as president.
• 44% job approval for Biden shows 11-point deficit in job approval compared to Trump at 55%.

AMERICANS PREFER FOCUS ON DOMESTIC RATHER THAN FOREIGN AFFAIRS

• 59% of voters say this is a time in world affairs that enables the U.S. to focus primarily on domestic issues, rather than spend more on military and foreign affairs (Democrats: 58%; Republicans: 57%; Independents: 63%).
• 58% say the U.S. does not have the leadership necessary to handle world affairs now.
• 56% support sending $26 billion in aid to Israel; 49% support sending $8 billion in aid to the Indo-Pacific, including Taiwan; and 48% support sending $61 billion in aid to Ukraine.

GENERATIONAL SCHISM ON ISRAEL REMAINS SALIENT DESPITE GENERAL SUPPORT UNCHANGED

• 80% of voters say they support Israel over Hamas (ages 18-24 57% to 43%)
• 71% say the crisis in Gaza has been created by Hamas, not Israel.
• 78% say Hamas should be removed from running Gaza.
• 72% of voters believe Israel should move forward with an operation in Rafah in order to finish the war against Hamas, while doing its best to avoid civilian casualties (ages 18-24: 57%; ages 65+: 84%).
• 68% oppose a ceasefire unless it means Hamas would be allowed to continue holding hostages and running Gaza (ages 18-24: 66% still support). 70% support a "permanent ceasefire" but that support is contingent on hostage release and end of Hamas rule.
• In the context of the recent Iran attacks against Israel, 80% believe Iran must be stopped from having nuclear weapons (ages 18-24: 43%; ages 65+: 96%).

M0ST AMERICANS DISAPPROVE OF UNIVERSITIES AMID CAMPUS PROTESTS

• 80% of voters believe students and professors who call for violence towards Jews should be suspended (ages 18-24: 59%; ages 65+: 92%).
• 64% believe the leaders of private higher education institutions are not doing enough to prevent antisemitism (ages 18-24: 37%; ages 65+: 80%).
• 64% believe there is a problem with what institutions of higher learning are teaching students today (ages 18-24: 47%; ages 65+: 74%).

The April Harvard CAPS / Harris poll survey was conducted online within the United States on April 24-25, 2024, among 1,961 registered voters by The Harris Poll and HarrisX. Follow the Harvard CAPS Harris Poll podcast at https://www.markpennpolls.com/ or on iHeart Radio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast platforms. 

About The Harris Poll & HarrisX
The Harris Poll is a global consulting and market research firm that strives to reveal the authentic values of modern society to inspire leaders to create a better tomorrow. It works with clients in three primary areas: building twenty-first-century corporate reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and earning organic media through public relations research. One of the longest-running surveys in the U.S., The Harris Poll has tracked public opinion, motivations, and social sentiment since 1963, and is now part of Stagwell, the challenger holding company built to transform marketing.

HarrisX is a technology-driven market research and data analytics company that conducts multi-method research in the U.S. and over 40 countries around the world on behalf of Fortune 100 companies, public policy institutions, global leaders, NGOs and philanthropic organizations. HarrisX was the most accurate pollster of the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

About the Harvard Center for American Political Studies 
The Center for American Political Studies (CAPS) is committed to and fosters the interdisciplinary study of U.S. politics.  Governed by a group of political scientists, sociologists, historians, and economists within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University, CAPS drives discussion, research, public outreach, and pedagogy about all aspects of U.S. politics. CAPS encourages cutting-edge research using a variety of methodologies, including historical analysis, social surveys, and formal mathematical modeling, and it often cooperates with other Harvard centers to support research training and encourage cross-national research about the United States in comparative and global contexts. More information at https://caps.gov.harvard.edu/.

Media Contact:
Sarah Arvizo
pr@stagwellglobal.com 

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SOURCE Stagwell Inc.

FAQ

Who leads in the April Harvard CAPS / Harris Poll?

President Donald Trump leads Joe Biden by 4 points in the April Harvard CAPS / Harris Poll.

What are the top concerns among voters according to the poll?

Immigration and inflation are tied as the top concerns among voters in the April Harvard CAPS / Harris Poll.

What is the voter sentiment towards focusing on domestic issues?

A majority of voters prefer focusing on domestic issues rather than military and foreign affairs, as per the poll.

What is the general sentiment towards Israel in the poll?

There is strong support for Israel amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, according to the April Harvard CAPS / Harris Poll.

Why are universities disapproved of in the poll?

Voters show disapproval of universities due to concerns over campus protests and antisemitism, as per the poll.