Exit poll: Republicans more enthusiastic about voting for Trump than Democrats are about voting for Harris

Early results of the CNN exit poll for the 2024 general election show strong support for Donald Trump, with a large majority of his voters choosing him primarily for his vision and proposals, rather than a vote against Kamala Harris.

According to the data, about 80% of the former president's voters stated that their vote was primarily indirect support of their candidate, rather than motivated by a desire to reject Kamala Harris. While only about 66% of Kamala Harris voters indicated that their choice was more of an affirmation of her candidacy than a protest vote against Trump.

Trump voters prioritize leadership and change

In terms of the qualities that Trump voters value most in a leader, more than 90% of respondents cited the importance of leadership and commitment to change, highlighting his alignment with the "Make America Great Again" message. Less than 10% of Trump voters considered other qualities such as empathy or good judgment.

The divide among Harris voters

On the other hand, Harris voters are more divided over which quality is more important. About 33% of her voters prioritize good judgment, about 30% value empathy, while about 20% cite leadership ability and the smallest group, less than 10%, prioritize needed change.

Survey methodology and scope

The CNN exit poll, conducted by Edison Research for the National Election Pool, was conducted with a sample of 16,604 people and has a margin of error of approximately 2 percentage points. This data provides a snapshot of voters' motivations and priorities in the 2024 election.