Voter Sentiments and Populism: A Shift in Harris Supporters’ Views

The UnPopulist, a publication dedicated to defending liberal democracy, highlights recent findings from a survey conducted by the Institute for the Study of Modern Authoritarianism (ISMA). These findings reveal a significant shift in attitudes among voters who supported Kamala Harris for president.

Since the 2024 presidential election, Harris supporters have grown increasingly cynical toward American elites. According to ISMA’s latest populism survey, there is a notable change in sentiment when comparing data from 2024 and this year.

During the survey conducted in August 2024, prior to the presidential election, 59% of individuals planning to vote for Harris strongly agreed that one or more American elites pursued their ‘own selfish interests’ at the cost of people like them. By June, the percentage of voters who expressed the same sentiment increased to 69%, marking a 10-point rise.

This trend represents the only statistically significant change among the four populist attitudes tracked in the survey. It suggests an evolving perspective among Harris voters about the role and impact of elites in American society.