When a speaker at Donald Trump’s wild rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday compared Puerto Rico to a “floating island of garbage,” he sparked outrage.
But extensive media coverage of the incident involving comedian Tony Hinchcliffe does not appear to have changed many minds when it comes to voting.
Only 0.7 percent of the electorate have a more negative view of Trump following the incident, which occurred during a five-hour MAGA marathon in the heart of Manhattan.
The lack of impact on voters was revealed in a comprehensive final poll before Election Day by DailyMail.com and JL Partners, which surveyed 1,003 people.
The poll finds that only 0.7 percent of voters cite the events at Madison Square Garden to explain why they have a more negative view of Trump.
More than 50 million Americans have already cast their votes, but some are still deciding and others are still considering whether to vote or not.
Amid the final peak of the campaign, every rally and speech by Trump and Kamala Harris is coming under closer scrutiny.
For candidates it is a tightrope and a verbal stumble, or an unexpected event, could alter their chances.
The survey found that the events at Madison Square Garden were the second most noticed news story of the week, behind Israel’s attack on Iran.
Hurricanes, food recalls, a scandal involving Diddy, the World Series and Elon Musk were other stories on voters’ radars.
Former US president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump departs after a rally at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York, USA, October 27, 2024
Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe speaks during a campaign rally for former US president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York on October 27, 2024.
However, most Americans are focused on broader issues than Hinchcliffe’s joke when they head to the polls, the poll showed.
When respondents were asked why they had a negative view of Trump, the most popular response was his “overall personal character,” at 12 percent.
Concern for the 78-year-old’s “mental state” followed in second place at four per cent, while his “self-interest and corruption” came in third.
James Johnson, co-founder of JL Partners, told DailyMail.com: ‘Despite news coverage of the comments at the Madison Square Garden rally, voters are responding with a shrug.
‘Most people are talking about other broader issues related to Trump and Harris, whether it’s attacks they’ve heard in ads, whether it’s the economy or the bigger issues.
‘What this tells me is that this moment has not changed the race. “This definitely does not play the role of an October surprise and is not changing the overall view of Donald Trump or his campaign.”
He added: “That said, our survey can’t detect what impact this might have specifically on Puerto Ricans in, say, Philadelphia, but certainly, at a macro level, this isn’t a game-changer.”
Donald Trump and Melania Trump appear at a political rally for former US President Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and New York City.
There are about 500,000 Puerto Ricans living in Pennsylvania, the state that could ultimately decide who gets the keys to the White House.
The winner between Trump and Harris could be decided by a few thousand Keystone State residents.
Since Sunday, Harris and her Democratic allies have latched onto the comments.
Meanwhile, Trump used a campaign rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania, to endorse Puerto Rican Republican politician Zoraida Buxo.
Hulk Hogan appears at the Madison Square Garden rally
A New York police officer stands in front of an image of Republican presidential candidate and former US President Donald Trump outside Madison Square Garden on the day of Trump’s rally.
On Tuesday night, Trump said he had “never heard” of Hinchcliffe, the comedian who made the offensive comments at the start of his rally.
He told Fox News’ Sean Hannity: “I have no idea who he is.” Someone said there was a comedian who joked about Puerto Rico or something, and I have no idea who it was. I’ve never seen it, I’ve never heard of it, and I don’t want to hear about it.
‘I have no idea. They put on a comedian, which everyone does… you don’t examine them and you go crazy.
‘What they have done is take someone who has nothing to do with the party, nothing to do with us, said something, and they are trying to make a big fuss. But I don’t know who it is, I don’t even know who put it in. And I can’t imagine it’s a big deal.
“I have done more for Puerto Rico than any other president who has ever been president.”
Hinchcliffe’s controversial routine too