Donald Trump has not received a poll boost in the first presidential election survey conducted since the failed assassination attempt on Saturday.
The poll, conducted by Morning Consult of 2,045 registered voters on Monday, reveals that Trump is leading Joe Biden by just one percentage point with 46 percent, compared to the president's 45 percent. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points.
The findings also reveal that Trump's lead has narrowed slightly since the firm's previous survey, conducted between July 12 and 14, which put Trump two percentage points ahead with 44 percent to Biden's 42 percent.
In the week before the shooting, national polls had Trump as the favorite to win the White House, leading narrowly in the six key battleground states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, with some of the results falling within the statistical margin of error.
Winning those states would likely allow Trump to comfortably claim victory in the Electoral College.
Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, July 15, 2024. Trump did not receive a poll boost in the first presidential election survey conducted since the assassination attempt. Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, July 15, 2024. Trump did not receive a poll boost in the first presidential election survey conducted since the assassination attempt. Charles Rex Arbogast/ASSOCIATED PRESS
The latest poll, where Biden has narrowed the lead, could come as a surprise to the many analysts who predicted that Trump would see a surge in polls after surviving the assassination attempt. One analyst predicted it would be a unifying moment for the nation which would propel him to "total victory in November."
The now iconic image of the bloodied Republican candidate defiantly pumping his fist at the cheering crowd was circulated across the world, with international newspapers leading with "Trump Defiant," and "Trump wins election here."
Despite those images, the first poll since the shooting shows Biden narrowing Trump's lead, which remains within the statistical margin of error.
Biden is hoping to close the gap while defending his place on the Democratic ticket while facing enormous political pressure for him to step down from some members of his own Democratic Party.
Following the shooting, the president has toned down his political attacks on Trump.
He strongly condemned the shooting on Saturday night, saying political violence was "sick" and had "no place in America." He called Trump, he tried to call the widow of Corey Comperatore, the man who was killed at the rally, and his campaign has reportedly pulled its $50 million television advertising blitz which characterized Trump as a criminal.
Trump, meanwhile, authorized a GoFundMe campaign for the victims of the shooting, and sent love to the families in a public post on Truth Social.
On Monday, Trump traveled to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where Ohio Republican Senator JD Vance was announced as his running mate. Trump officially received the party's nomination as well as a raucous standing ovation when he entered Fiserv Forum wearing a white bandage over his right ear.
MewMewTranslator on July 16th, 2024 at 11:43 UTC »
I work on an elderly facility. When the shot happened half the room was crying and half the room was laughing. Not sure why him getting shot would change anyone's minds.
blankdreamer on July 16th, 2024 at 11:04 UTC »
I wasn’t sure which way it would go. Sympathy boost or “I’m so sick of this trump chaos - it’s been 10 years of this shit” hopefully the latter.
420PokerFace on July 16th, 2024 at 10:45 UTC »
It’s the bully having a bad day, everyone was joking about it at my work. I think everyone has somewhat mentally prepared themselves for the simple fact he’s a troll president and has been front-page for 8+ years now