Former President Donald Trump remains a dominant force in American politics. As he seeks to become the president once again, recent polls suggest that he is the primary focal point of the upcoming election.
President Joe Biden’s campaign has its work cut out for it. With his abysmal record in office so far and rising concerns over his age and mental acuity, the road ahead will be far from easy.
A new survey from Economist/YouGov reveals a not-so-surprising reality: This election is about Trump more than anything else.
A new Economist/YouGov poll’s findings revealed precisely what the 2024 election will be about. The survey showed that regardless of which side one is on, this race is all about Trump.
Researchers found that about 67 percent of Trump supporters are mostly voting for the former president. Among Democrats, about 52 percent indicated their votes will be against Trump.
The findings suggest that Trump is the primary focal point of this race – and this trend will likely not change as the campaign slogs along. 2024 is about the persona of the Orange Man What Is Bad™ possibly even more than policies.
The poll’s findings related to voter enthusiasm are also quite telling. About 35 percent of Biden’s supporters said they were “extremely enthusiastic” about voting this years. This is compared to 44 percent of Trump supporters who indicated the same. This suggests some serious challenges for the Biden campaign in galvanizing a base that is more driven by opposition to the former president than passion for Biden.
Trump being the primary thing on everyone’s minds could benefit Trump’s campaign depending on how he uses his position. However, the focus being on the former president could also damage his chances of winning in November.
One of Trump’s most potent strengths is his unparalleled ability to seize the spotlight. His ability to dominate media headlines and social discourse ensures that he will remain the focal point of the race. The fact that the press melts down anytime he so much as sneezes further puts him in a position of prominence.
The reactions of various media figures only reinforce the narrative that the establishment and the deep state are out to get him – a reality the left has proven over and over again. The former president has always played this to his advantage and it has helped him galvanize widespread support on the right and even among some independents.
Further bolstering Trump’s penchant for exploiting the establishment’s hatred of him are the myriad of politically motivated indictments Democrats have been wielding against him to affect the outcome of the upcoming election. By now, it is evident that in each of these cases, leftists are essentially weaponizing the government against their most feared political opponent.
The indictments have done wonders for Trump’s poll numbers, and has helped him galvanize his base. Indeed, his legal troubles propelled him to victory during the Republican presidential primaries. It has further solidified his brand as the outsider politician who can take on the deep state.
If the former president continues to play up this angle, it will help him further inspire voters to support him in November. However, there are some pitfalls that his campaign team will want to avoid.
Being the primary focus of the campaign is beneficial in multiple ways. But it could also harm him if he is not careful. President Biden has already been trying to make the race a referendum on the former president. This is because he has little to run on at the moment.
The economy is in a precarious state. Americans are suffering the effects of inflation and slow job growth. Additionally, crime, education, and the border crisis remain issues that are top of mind for the general public. This is why the Democrats are using Trump as the ultimate red (or orange) herring.
With Trump being so dominant in the race, Biden’s team will launch attack after attack. They, along with their close friends and allies in the press, will hammer away at the former president. Leftists will bring up everything Trump has ever said or done that could be useful to them. We can expect to hear their incessant caterwauling over J6, as Biden and company work to scare voters into voting against the former president. The president and his team will try to portray Trump and his evil band of “MAGA Republicans” as the most pressing threat to American-style democracy.
It is also important to note that while the indictments are currently helping Trump, this may not always be the case. Depending on how the proceedings shake out, one or more of these cases could possibly damage his chances of winning – especially among moderate and independent voters who are not firmly in his camp.
If the former president is convicted of a serious crime – even if it is utter hogwash – it could push a substantial swath of voters to support Biden, a possibility that the president’s team is surely counting on.
Of course, much of this depends on how well Biden and Trump play their cards. This race will probably come down to which candidate fights the smartest.
As we inch closer to November, Trump’s dominance over the political landscape remains a pivotal factor that could make or break his candidacy. The road to 2024 promises to be quite an interesting contest indeed. The question is: Will the benefits outweigh the drawbacks or will the opposite hold true?
