Bad News for Biden: GOP Enthusiasm Surged to 85% After RNC

The Republican Party enjoyed a notable post-convention bump that was not seen by the Democratic Party, according to a new poll.

Following the conventions of both parties in late August, Rasmussen Reports found GOP voter enthusiasm reached 85 percent, up 10 percentage points from July, following the conclusion of the optimistic, largely in-person Republican National Convention, which concluded last Thursday.

President Donald Trump brought the convention to a close at the White House by delivering a rousing speech that not only targeted his base, but also reached out to other portions of the electorate.

Trump succeeded in opening up the party as a big tent for black Americans, independents and disaffected potential voters seeking stability amid a challenging year.

On the other hand, enthusiasm among Democrats has remained stagnant, sitting unchanged at 71 percent for the last six weeks.

Unlike the GOP, the Democratic Party put on a mostly remote convention which painted America’s future as bleak, and portrayed the country and its storied history as mostly racist.

The 10-point swing among Republicans seems to align with other polls, which show the race tightening with two months before the election.

Rasmussen found voters overall are much more excited about voting than they were when polled earlier this year.

According to Rasmussen, “Among all likely voters, 70% are excited about the Trump-Biden contest, while only 23% now say they will simply be voting for the lesser of two evils.”

“The number excited about the contest is up from 60% in late April and 67% in July,” the pollster added.

Rasmussen further noted that voters are much more focused on President Trump, the incumbent, than they are on former Vice President Joe Biden.

Of those who answered the survey, 59 percent of likely voters “rate Trump’s record as more important to their vote than Biden’s ideas for the next four years,” the report found.

Only 37 percent of those polled said that Biden’s plans were more important for their vote.

Rasmussen added, “Eighty-four percent (84%) of Republicans and 62% of voters not affiliated with either major party consider the GOP president’s record more important to their vote, but just 34% of Democrats agree. Among voters in the opposing party, 65% put more emphasis on Biden’s ideas for the next four years.”

Another metric is also troubling news for Biden, despite a nationwide movement to argue against a perception that there is an inherent bias against minority Americans in law enforcement and other institutions.

Enthusiasm about voting among black Americans is down relative to white voters or voters of other ethnicities, the survey found.

“Trump’s record is more important to 63% of whites, 34% of blacks and 58% of other minorities. Most blacks (62%) put Biden’s agenda first.”

Rasmussen surveyed 1,000 likely voters for the poll, which was conducted online and by telephone between Aug. 30 and 31.

The margin of sampling error was reported to be +/- 3 points.