Only a week ago, a sense of predictability shrouded the U.S. presidential election. Supporters of Donald Trump sanguinely projected a resounding victory in a Republican National Convention that echoed more of a nominee’s coronation who narrowly escaped an assassination endeavor, pledging to unify the nation. Meanwhile, a struggling President Joe Biden barely griped on to his party’s nomination as demoralized Democrats started to contemplate on the grim prospects.
In a historical turn of events spanning over just seven days, the 2024 presidential election assumed a fundamentally distinct landscape characterized by fresh names, reoriented issues focus, and a transformed outlook for both parties. Vice President Kamala Harris replaced a jaded Biden and surged to break fundraising records, taking over social media platforms. Some Democrats equated the palpable enthusiasm with the fervor around Barack Obama’s momentous candidacy roughly two decades ago.
On the contrary, Republicans are grappling with apprehension and dissatisfaction as they reconcile with the upsetting truth that Trump’s triumph is not sealed. As this wavering mood permeates the party, accusations have begun. Certain high-profile conservatives are openly criticizing Trump’s vice presidential choice, JD Vance, an obscure Ohio senator with less than two years in office and well-known for contentious remarks.
Vance had received a thunderous applause when he appeared at the RNC in Milwaukee, barely 12 days ago. Trump was hailed as an invincible figure in light of his miraculous escape. ‘However, the sentiment has considerably tumbled down since then,’ stated Republican National Committee member Henry Barbour, who until recently anticipated that the GOP might clinch the national popular vote in the fall, a feat unachieved since 2004. He harbors growing concerns now.
According to Barbour, ‘the Democrats now possess a candidate who can articulate, who can assail. They have a weapon. They have a pathway.’ This swift and sudden shift in the electoral landscape underscores the fluctuating environment of the Trump era, where nothing is absolute or certain, and the established wisdom often stands incorrect. However, it is also possible that the elevated optimism among Democrats may prove to be hasty.
Early public polls indicate Harris is slightly at a better stand against Trump than Biden was just prior to his withdrawal from the race. Nevertheless, even these statistics point towards an intensely contested race in a severely divided nation. Simultaneously, there exist numerous outstanding queries regarding the 99-day election sprint that lie ahead.
Harris is yet to settle on her vice presidential selection. Trump has cast doubt over the next debate scheduled for Sept. 10, hosted by ABC, contending that it was a component of an agreement with Biden. Independent candidates still hold the potential to divert the race to unforeseen trajectories. Also, political advertisements worth over a billion dollars remain to be broadcast as both parties reassess their messages, policies, and strategies for securing 270 electoral votes.
The shift over the course of the past week is indeed notable. Harris managed to raise an impressive $200 million in the week since she took over Biden’s campaign, including contributions from a wide base of first-time donors, as indicated by her campaign on Sunday. In addition, over 170,000 volunteers have enlisted themselves to aid the presumptive Democratic nominee’s campaigning initiatives like phone banking and canvassing.
Democrats throughout the ballot have reaped the advantages of this distinctive surge. Ex-Biden pollster, John Anzalone, deemed Harris’ candidacy as a ‘life-saving device’ for Democrats and wavering voters nationwide, and cheerfully exclaimed that ‘we’re back in the game’.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat from Wisconsin, previously absent during Biden’s four recent visits to her state, was present at Harris’ first political rally last Wednesday. Similarly, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Biden’s national campaign co-chair, who previously ignored the president’s critical visit to Michigan owing to her book tour, will be a main attraction at an upcoming Harris campaign event in Pennsylvania, having already campaigned for her in New Hampshire over the weekend.
The dialogue has indeed shifted remarkably. The Democrats, no longer hindered by interrogations about their nominee’s age and aptitude, are taking on issues that let them initiate an offence. Harris, as a woman, has accentuated the GOP’s battle against abortion rights, a move Biden could not gain traction with. As a former prosecutor, she confidently underscored Trump’s culpability in New York.
Harris and her team are also resorting to a more colloquial and emotional critique of Trump and Vance, describing the Republican presidential ticket as ‘strange’. Meanwhile, an exasperated Trump has relinquished the gracious demeanor he projected following his near-death incident.
Upon finding himself way behind the usual traction, the former Republican president Trump and his followers have resorted to trying out various attacks to gauge which proves most detrimental against their new Democratic contender. There’s a sect within the conservative camp, predominantly within the pro-Trump MAGA faction, branding Harris as a ‘DEI candidate.’ This term stands for ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ and it’s therefore implied that Democrats selected her as the potential nominee due to her gender and racial background.
Over the past weekend in Minnesota, Trump and Vance characterized Harris as a ‘radical left lunatic,’ alleging she intends to defund the police, obliterate the American dream, permit illegal immigrants to vote, and ban fracking. Harris’ team retorted to these attacks. Despite the change in opponents, Trump majorly dedicated his speech to Biden, who he seemingly struggles to let go of since he was defeated in the 2020 elections.
However, those who attended the rally in Minnesota were hopeful about Trump’s prospects come fall – baffling, considering Republicans haven’t won the state in any presidential election since 1976. Sensing a potential shift, some began wondering whether Harris leading the ticket might tighten the race. ‘That makes me slightly tense,’ admitted Jim Caldwell, a 59-year-old truck driver from a city near St. Cloud. Alarmingly, he attributed the possible turnout to the historic nature of Harris’ candidacy that ‘might bring out more people.’
John Jose, a 56-year-old associate pastor from St. Cloud, expressed optimism due to the disorder rattling the Democrats. He described the recent weeks as ‘dramatic.’ ‘I think we need stability right now. Right now, basically, we are watching a circus,’ added Jose. The inherent uncertainty in the coming days leading up to the elections cannot be understated. The swirling mag of developments has only intensified the political tempest.