Following convention, Democrats hope for bounce in polls

Conventions

DNC awash in balloons and the scent of firecrackers as the Democratic national convention came to a close Thursday, July 28 2016. (Lisa Chiu / CCTV America)

With just 100 days until voters go to the polls in the United States to choose the next president, stakes are high. Opinion polls suggest Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are locked in a close race.

Coming out of their national convention that just ended in Philadelphia, the Democratic Party is counting on a significant bounce.

CCTV America’s Sean Callebs reports.

“She needs to make that bounce last as long as possible,” political commentator Laura Schwartz said. “Bounce doesn’t always have to be numbers in the polls, but energy by the voters.”

The Democrats know they’ll need momentum. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump saw his popularity rise after their convention, and most polls during the week showed him leading Hillary Clinton.

But if the Democratic ticket is looking for a guaranteed huge jump in the polls, Schwartz said it’s unlikely.

“Bounces are not as big as they used to be. The last person to get a double-digit bump was her husband, Bill Clinton – a 24-digit bounce after his convention.”

The impact of real-time news coverage and social media are whittling away at the importance of nationally televised conventions.

Now attention shifts from the glitz, lights, and cameras. From here on out in the U.S., it’s all about grassroots support, and which candidate will be most successful at getting supporters to the polls for the November election.