Former President Donald Trump took part in an event at a Pennsylvania McDonald's MCD restaurant over the weekend that could provide a boost to his hopes to win the 2024 presidential election.
What Happened: Trump worked a short stint running the French fry station and helping with drive-thru orders during the campaign stop at the Feasterville-Trevose McDonald's, which is independently owned by a franchisee and not owned by the larger fast food restaurant company.
“I’m looking for a job and I’ve always wanted to work at McDonald’s,” Trump said in a video at the restaurant
While Trump's brief shift at McDonald's won't lead to a new career change, it could provide a potential boost to his favorable and net buzz rankings.
"Does Donald Trump working at McDonald's as part of his campaign change your perception of him?" Benzinga recently asked readers.
The results were as follows:
- Yes, I view him more favorably: 30%
- Yes, I view him less favorably: 15%
- No, it doesn't change my opinion: 55%
The poll results show that a larger portion of Benzinga readers see the campaign stunt as being favorable for Trump ahead of the 2024 election. The majority of readers said the event does not change their opinion of the former president.
A recent Emerson College poll showed Kamala Harris with a 49% to 48% lead over Trump among nationally registered voters.
In the poll, Harris ranked ahead of Trump with a favorable rating of 53% and unfavorable rating of 47% compared to ratings of 49% and 51% for Trump respectively.
The poll also found that a larger percentage of voters had a very favorable opinion of Harris at 41.7% compared to 36.4% who said the same for Trump. The former president had a larger amount of voters say they had a very unfavorable rating of him (45.7%) than the same percent who said the same about Harris (41.6%).
Did You Know?
- Congress Is Making Huge Investments. Get Tips On What They Bought And Sold Ahead Of The 2024 Election With Our Easy-to-Use Tool
Why It's Important: While the McDonald's stunt could backfire into a debate about minimum wage and Trump's previous hesitancy to support wages going up for fast food workers, the campaign stop could prove to be more beneficial than harmful.
The event has also prompted McDonald's to speak out and remind employees and the public that they do not "endorse candidates for elected office."
While the event could give Trump a more favorable view by voters on a national scale and help his overall odds of winning the 2024 election, the potential positive impact in the state of Pennsylvania is likely the underlying event for the fast-food shift.
Pennsylvania is one of seven swing states that could determine the 2024 election outcome. With 19 electoral college votes, which is the most of the swing states in the 2024 election, Pennsylvania could be the most important of the swing states. The state has voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in six of the last seven presidential elections, with Trump the first Republican to win the state in 2020 since the 1988 election.
Price Action: McDonald’s stock is down 0.4% on Tuesday to $313.56. The stock hit new 52-week highs of $317.90 early Monday before falling.
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The study was conducted by Benzinga from Oct. 21 through Oct. 2, 2024, and included the responses of a diverse population of adults 18 or older. Opting into the survey was completely voluntary, with no incentives offered to potential respondents. The study reflects results from 157 adults.
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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