What can election polls really tell us?
President Joe Biden speaks from the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, July 14, 2024. With Biden ending his reelection bid and endorsing Harris, Democrats now must navigate a shift that is unprecedented this late in an election year. Democrats are set to hold their convention in Chicago in August. Susan Walsh / AP Photo
Since announcing yesterday that he would end his campaign for re-election, Biden has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him on the ticket. She’s not the official Democratic nominee yet. One critical test that could earn her the support of fellow Democrats is polling data.
So what does polling tell us, and where does it come up short? And in a time that seems unprecedented — what can the past teach us?
We're joined by a history professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the director of the polling institute at Monmouth University to answer these questions.
GUESTS:
Patrick Murray
Director of the Polling Institute, Monmouth University
Prof. Marsha Barrett
Professor of History, University of Illinois