Unable to set href

Unable to set href

I am unable to set the href of an <a> control using javascript or jQuery in my asp.net application.  

I recently installed jQuery version 3.2.1 and have been attempting to dynamically set values of the controls within an aspx modal popup control.  All seem to be working except the one to change the href of an <a> control.  Here is my function:

       function PopAddWebLink(thisNode){
            clearPanel('cphMain_pnlAddWeblink_Pop');
       
            // Copy data into Popup
            var thisTaskID = thisNode.Attributes['TaskID'];
            var thisText = thisNode.Text;
            var strLink = " http://WebSearch.aspx?TaskID=" + thisTaskID;

            //Set href of <a>'lnkWebSearch' to strLink
            document.getElementById('lnkWebSearch').href = 'WebSearch.aspx?TaskID=' + thisTaskID;
            //$('#lnkWebSearch').attr('href', strLink);
            //document.getElementById('lnkWebSearch').href = strLink;
            //$('#lnkWebSearch').prop('href', strLink);

            $('#cphMain_lblAddWeblink').text(thisText);

            document.getElementById('cphMain_hidAddWeblinkTaskID').value = thisNode.Attributes['TaskID'];

            $find('mpeAddWeblink').show();
        }

And here is the modal popup (as rendered):

    <div id="cphMain_pnlAddWeblink_Pop" class="popupPanel" style="display:none">
 
       <input type="hidden" name="ctl00$cphMain$hidAddWeblinkTaskID" id="cphMain_hidAddWeblinkTaskID" />
       <center><h3><span id="cphMain_lblAddWeblink"></span></h3></center>
       <table width="100%">
            <tr>
                <td style="width:50%"><b>URL</b></td>
                <td><b>Link Name (optional)</b></td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
                <td><input name="ctl00$cphMain$txtLinkUrl01" type="text" id="cphMain_txtLinkUrl01" style="width:100%;" /></td>
                <td><input name="ctl00$cphMain$txtLinkName01" type="text" id="cphMain_txtLinkName01" style="width:100%;" /></td>
            </tr>
             <tr>
                <td><input name="ctl00$cphMain$txtLinkUrl02" type="text" id="cphMain_txtLinkUrl02" style="width:100%;" /></td>
                <td><input name="ctl00$cphMain$txtLinkName02" type="text" id="cphMain_txtLinkName02" style="width:100%;" /></td>
            </tr>
             <tr>
                <td><input name="ctl00$cphMain$txtLinkUrl03" type="text" id="cphMain_txtLinkUrl03" style="width:100%;" /></td>
                <td><input name="ctl00$cphMain$txtLinkName03" type="text" id="cphMain_txtLinkName03" style="width:100%;" /></td>
            </tr>
             <tr>
                <td><input name="ctl00$cphMain$txtLinkUrl04" type="text" id="cphMain_txtLinkUrl04" style="width:100%;" /></td>
                <td><input name="ctl00$cphMain$txtLinkName04" type="text" id="cphMain_txtLinkName04" style="width:100%;" /></td>
            </tr>
             <tr>
                <td><input name="ctl00$cphMain$txtLinkUrl05" type="text" id="cphMain_txtLinkUrl05" style="width:100%;" /></td>
                <td><input name="ctl00$cphMain$txtLinkName05" type="text" id="cphMain_txtLinkName05" style="width:100%;" /></td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
                <td colspan="2">
                    <input type="submit" name="ctl00$cphMain$btnSaveLinks" value="Save Links" id="cphMain_btnSaveLinks" style="width:40%;" />
                    <input type="submit" name="ctl00$cphMain$btnSaveLinksMore" value="Save Links, then Search for More" id="cphMain_btnSaveLinksMore" style="width:55%;" />
                    <div id="cphMain_UpdateProgress5" style="display:none;">
  
                            <img src="images/progress.gif" alt="" />&nbsp;Updating...
                       
 </div>
                </td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
                <td colspan="2">
                     <input type="submit" name="ctl00$cphMain$btnCancelLinks" value="Exit Without Saving" id="cphMain_btnCancelLinks" style="width:100%;" />
                </td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
                <td colspan="2">
                    <a id="lnkWebSearch" >
                    Search the Web
                    </a>
                </td>
            </tr>
        </table>
  
</div>
  


"thisNode" references the node of a Telerik Treeview control which the user has right-clicked to get a popup menu from which, if they select "Add Web Link", the function is launched.  

The uncommented-out line immediately following the "//Set href of <a>..." comment is the line used in the version currently running correctly on the internet; however, it has no effect when run in Visual Web Developer.  The three lines following it, when uncommented-out, also seem to be ignored.  The rest of the function appears to work as expected.

Your help is much appreciated.