Vice President Kamala Harris’ claim that she has “great approval ratings” was fact-checked by the liberal-leaning website, PolitiFact as being false.
PolitiFact squashed the claim that Harris made while doing a recent interview with ABC News on July 31, finding that “among more than 100 publicly” available polls, none showed her approval rating to be higher than her disapproval rating. During the interview, Harris was asked if she felt that “race and gender” factor into her low approval numbers.
“I’m curious – how much of a role, if any, that you feel race and gender play in that?” ABC News host Linsey Davis asked Harris.
In response to the question, Harris told Davis that there were polls showing that had “great approval ratings.”
ABC News “reporter” @LinseyDavis to VP Kamala Harris on @ABCNewsLive Prime: “There are reports that say that you have the lowest approval of any Vice President. I’m curious how much of a role, if any, that you feel race and gender play in that?” pic.twitter.com/NYz7xE3uwu
— Brent Baker
(@BrentHBaker) July 31, 2023
“I think the point that has to be made is that there are attempts to create distractions away from the accomplishments of our administration,” Harris said.
PolitiFact found “public polling results” did not support her claim, according to the outlet.
Using FiveThirtyEight.com, a commonly used website that hosts a large number of polls, PolitiFact discovered the truth to Harris’ claim.
The outlet pointed out how at the time of her interview, Harris had an approval rating of 39.7% and a disapproval rating of 52.3%, according to FiveThirtyEight.com.
Similar polls back up PolitiFacts findings, a poll from Leger conducted between July 28-31 shows Harris with an approval rating of 41% and a disapproval rating of 56%. A poll from Monmouth University conducted between July 12-17 showed Harris with an approval rating of 40% and a disapproval rating of 53%.
A later poll from Redfield & Wilton Strategies from May 31 showed Harris with an approval rating of 33% and a disapproval rating of 48%.
PolitiFact says in its finding that “the most recent poll in which more people approved than disapprove of Harris’ performance” was conducted in October 2021, by Saint Leo University.
