Countif Failing Due To Different Comparison Types (Dates)

[Ark68]

I am having difficulty with this code

Set wb_rmrsrc = Workbooks.Open(anpath & "rmr1.xlsx", True, True)
Set ws_rmrsource = wb_rmrsrc.Worksheets("Sheet1")
cnt_idate = Application.WorksheetFunction.CountIf(ws_rmrsource.Columns(1), inq_date)

inq_date = 44023 (serial of July 12, 2020)
wb_rmsrc is accessed in the background but not opened
column 1 of ws_rmrsource contains dates, but I think they may be text. When I try to change their cell format to number, nothing happens so I assume that they aren;t true dates.

I am getting a value of 0 for cnt_date when the datavase should find 8 equal date values.

 

[Ark68]

cnt_idate = Application.WorksheetFunction.CountIf(ws_rmrsource.Columns(1), CDate(inq_date))

Thank you!