Can Trump manage government effectively? New poll finds double-digit shift since 2016

Far more Americans now say former President Donald Trump can effectively manage government than in 2016, according to new polling.

The latest Gallup poll also found Trump is perceived by more respondents as having several more leadership qualities — like decisiveness — than Vice President Kamala Harris.

In contrast, more respondents see Harris as having character qualities such as trustworthiness and likability.

The poll, conducted between Sept. 16 and 28, sampled 1,023 U.S. adults and has a margin of error of 4 percentage points.

Key findings

Respondents were given a list of 10 qualities and asked whether they associated them with one or both candidates.

Trump had a lead larger than the margin of error when it came to two qualities — both of which related to leadership ability.

Sixty-one percent said he “can get things done,” while 49% said the same of Harris, marking a 12-point advantage for the former president.

Similarly, 59% of respondents said Trump “is a strong and decisive leader,” while 48% said the same for Harris, marking an 11-point lead for Trump.

In contrast, Harris had an edge greater than the margin of error on three qualities, all of which concern character or personality.

Sixty percent of respondents said Harris “is likable,” while a far smaller share, 38%, said the same for Trump, giving her a 22-point lead — the largest in the survey.

Fifty-three percent said the vice president “has strong moral character.” Forty percent said the same of Trump, marking a 13-point difference.

Additionally, just under half of respondents, 49%, said Harris “is honest and trustworthy,” while 41% said Trump had these qualities.

The two candidates were close to even when it came to the five other qualities. These were: “Cares about the needs of people like you,” “Is someone you would be proud to have as president,” “Can manage the government effectively,” “Would display good judgment in a crisis” and “Has a vision for the country’s future.”

The share of people who view Trump as having two of these qualities, however, has greatly increased over the past eight years.

In the latest poll, 51% of respondents said Trump “can manage the government effectively.” In a 2016 poll, 41% said the same, marking a 10-point difference.

Similarly, 49% of respondents in the latest poll said Trump “cares about the needs of people like you,” while 40% said the same in 2016, marking a 9-point difference.

Harris was not included in the earlier poll.

The new survey comes just weeks before Election Day and as Harris and Trump are polling neck-and-neck in many nationwide and swing state polls.

This story was originally published October 10, 2024 at 5:36 PM with the headline "Can Trump manage government effectively? New poll finds double-digit shift since 2016."