Kamala Harris’ bet on Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has actually lost her ground in his home state.
That’s the takeaway from new polling of 635 Likely Voters from Minnesota’s KSTP, which found that the Democratic presidential nominee’s advantage over Donald Trump has been cut in half since she picked Walz as her running mate last month and showcased the ticket at the Democratic National Convention.
Harris now leads Trump 48% to 43%, a significant decline for her from the previous survey that showed her up 50% to 40%.
The opposite of a post-convention bump that normally would have been expected.
This is particularly remarkable given that this was a poll that included more Democrats than Republican respondents — with Dems making up 40% of the sample, Republicans 35%, and independents the remainder.
And the poll data suggests Walz is the one costing Harris support.
Only 52% of Minnesota voters see him as an excellent or good choice, with 12% saying he’s a fair selection, and a staggering 34% saying he’s a poor pick.
Walz is underwater with men, with 49% approving of his selection and 50% opposing it. About 40% of male respondents called him a poor choice running mate.
Voters under the age of 35, a key demographic Harris needs in November, also aren’t enthusiastic. 49% called Walz an excellent or good pick; the other 51% regarded him unfavorably. These voters make up 25% of the anticipated November electorate.
Walz is also one percentage point underwater with parents, with 48% regarding him favorably and 49% panning the pick. 35% of people with children say he was a poor selection.
A dramatic urban/rural divide also appears on this question, with 38% of rural residents approving of the pick, compared to 59% of those in the suburbs and 61% of those in urban areas.
While 59% of Twin Cities residents rate the selection as excellent or good, only 48% of those in Northeast Minnesota, 46% of those in Western Minnesota, and 35% of those in Southwestern Minnesota make the same claim.
The gender gap that afflicts Harris in most polls extends to Walz also, with 49% of men supporting the selection compared to 57% of women.
The poll was conducted by SurveyUSA from Aug. 27 through Aug. 29.
