Harris holds advantage on likeability, Trump has leadership edge: Gallup polling

Vice President Harris is deemed more likeable than her Republican opponent by voters, but former President Trump has an edge over Harris when it comes to leadership qualities, a new survey found.

The polling, conducted by Gallup, found 60 percent of respondents say Harris is likeable, compared to 38 percent who said the same about Trump.

The vice president also ranks higher on strong moral character, being honest and trustworthy and caring about the needs of everyday people. More people say they would be proud to have Harris as their president than Trump, according to the survey.

Trump, however, ranks higher on the leadership qualities needed to be commander-in-chief.

Nearly 60 percent of respondents said the GOP presidential nominee is a strong and decisive leader compared to 48 percent of voters who said the same about Harris. Roughly 61 percent of respondents say the former president “can get things done” compared to 49 percent who say the Democratic nominee can, the data shows.

The survey also found that over the course of Trump’s three presidential campaigns — 2016, 2020 and now 2024 — he has improved on nearly all issues among voters.

Harris and Trump are nearly tied among voters on a few issues. They each score 51 percent support among voters when asked if they can manage the government effectively. Trump scores one point higher, 52 to Harris’s 51, when asked who would best display good judgement during a crisis.

While voters in both sides of the aisle had a more favorable view of their own party's nominee, Democrats seemed more confident in their answers around Harris than Republicans did of Trump.

Gallup noted between 89 and 95 percent of Democrats say each characteristic applies to the vice president. While Trump’s support among Republicans is still high, he ranks lower on being honest, having strong moral character and being likeable.

According to The Hill/Decision Desk HQ, Harris has a 3 percent lead over Trump based on an aggregation of polls.

The Gallup survey was conducted Sept. 16-28, following the presidential debate, among 1,023 adults. It has a margin of error of 4 percentage points.