ABC News anchor Martha Raddatz traveled 6,000 miles across the United States and said she noticed little enthusiasm for Joe Biden’s campaign.
“There wasn’t a whole lot of enthusiasm for Joe Biden. There’s a lot of enthusiasm among Democratic voters and some independents to get Donald Trump out but not necessarily that enthusiasm,” Raddatz told The View on Tuesday.
Raddatz noted that Trump’s base of “hardcore” supporters was very enthusiastic about his reelection. She said that recent scandals, including the release of Trump’s personal tax returns by the New York Times, did not phase his voters.
“The hardcore Trump voters, some of the people you just saw me talking to there, they basically say Trump walks on water. Nothing will change their mind. In fact, this morning, I called someone that I had talked to on the road trip about Donald Trump and the tax story, and he said, ‘Good for Donald Trump. As long as it wasn’t illegal, I want the name of his accountant.’ So, those people, that solid base, is not going anywhere,” she said.
Raddatz said the No. 1 issue among the voters she spoke with was the economy, not the coronavirus. She said she was “shocked” that many people in rural areas were not wearing masks and were predominantly concerned about businesses reopening.
Trump has routinely outpaced Biden in enthusiasm polls. The enthusiasm gap, however, has narrowed slightly in recent weeks. An Aug. 17 poll from ABC News showed 65% of Republicans were enthusiastic about voting for Trump, while 48% of Democrats reported enthusiasm for Biden.
