BREAKING: First Exit Polls Released, and There's Reason for Cautious Optimism

By Jennifer Van Laar | 5:14 PM on November 05, 2024

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The first exit polls have been released for the 2024 general election, and there are some good signs for Donald Trump and some very bad signs for Kamala Harris.

CNN reported the results of three questions from a nationwide exit poll that they say encompasses both early voters and day-of voters.

How are voters feeling about the way things are going in the United States? A total of 72 percent of those polled are either angry (29%) or dissatisfied (43%).

CNN EXIT POLL pic.twitter.com/znpyzzV4pz
— Poll Tracker 📡 (@PollTracker2024) November 5, 2024

But, they are optimistic for the future: 61% say America's best days are in the future, while 34% say they're in the past.

Perhaps the most telling statistic: 58 percent of those polled say that they disapprove of Joe Biden's performance as president.

Exit Poll by CNN: pic.twitter.com/3oeamRflRt
— volnoscioviec (@volnoscioviec) November 5, 2024

JUST IN: CNN releases exit poll prompting Chris Wallace to say it would be "a miracle" if Harris could win "with that kind of headwind."

Interesting, but take this with a grain of salt.

One question found that most Americans were "dissatisfied" or "angry" with the path of the… pic.twitter.com/LkgptmWlvf
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) November 5, 2024

What are their most important issues?

Democracy 35%
Economy 31%
Abortion 14%
Immigration 11%
Foreign Policy 4%

Among Harris voters, 56 percent say "democracy" is the most important issue, and 21% say abortion is their top issue.

More from CNN exit polls pic.twitter.com/BCNo48yIwI
— Jennifer Van Laar (@jenvanlaar) November 5, 2024

Exit poll respondents apparently did not get the memo that the economy is okay.

If it's the economy, stupid, Kamala Harris is in trouble pic.twitter.com/MA5CuCiC3u
— Jennifer Van Laar (@jenvanlaar) November 5, 2024

Will those who disapprove of Biden's performance as president, or who are angry or dissatisfied with the way things are going in the country, or who say the economy isn't in good shape, link Kamala Harris to that dissatisfaction and those results? We're just a few hours away from finding out.

NOTE: CNN will be releasing further exit poll results over the next few hours; we'll update this piece to reflect those results.