CNN Analyst Warns of 'Deep Depths of Hell' for Trump as Independents Flee

CNN’s chief data analyst Harry Enten has identified a significant and concerning trend for former President Donald Trump: a dramatic downturn in support among "pure independents." These are voters who do not lean toward either the Democratic or Republican parties.

Enten described the shift as "stunning," noting that Trump has gone from winning pure independent voters by a 15-point margin in 2024 to holding a net approval rating of -71 points with the demographic. "This is an 86-point shift away from the president of the United States with the group that ultimately really does determine elections," Enten stated, emphasizing the unprecedented nature of these numbers, which he called "the deep depths of the ocean."

This drastic change in support is not isolated to general approval. Enten also highlighted a significant decline in how pure independents view Trump’s handling of the economy. While the group trusted Trump more than Vice President Kamala Harris on economic issues by 22 points in 2024, that perception has now inverted, with Trump holding a net approval rating of -77 points on the economy among this crucial voting bloc.

Enten attributed some of this erosion of support to factors such as rising gas prices. He noted that 92% of pure independents disapprove of Trump's handling of gas prices, a sentiment that directly correlates with broader electoral challenges. "As those gas prices have gone one way, those chances for Republicans holding on to the United States Senate have gone the other way," Enten observed. "And it is pure independents that are driving this. Ninety-two percent. Near uniformity."