I heard less about Kamala Harris’ momentum this weekend. This morning, I read that Trump is leading in four of the seven battleground states. All this follows a three-week period that should have been an election disaster for Donald Trump. He is getting crazier in his name-calling. He flip-flopped on reproductive rights. And he just is not looking well. I read one tweet on X that questioned whether he would “make it” to November.
What is happening? Shouldn’t the Harris-Walz ticket be surging? Younger, low-income voters who favored Trump before President Biden’s exit from the race now support Harris by double digits. Does that mean that Trump is picking up support elsewhere to partially offset other losses in support?
I do not know the answers and am not sure I want to know them. I frequently question the choices of Trump voters, but I am not ready to call them idiots, “deplorables,” or suggest they should not have the right to vote. I wonder about the enthusiasm for Trump demonstrated by many of the ex-president’s followers. What are they enthusiastic about? In interviews, these supporters do not seem to be the type of people who have read all 900+ pages of Project 2025.
One explanation for Trump’s resilience in the polls is that Harris’ economic message is not what many voters want to hear. Promises to tax corporations and billionaires, for example, often fall on deaf ears. People do not believe that taxing Bill Gates or Elon Musk will solve their personal problems. Instead, many believe the new taxes will be evaded or, worse, wasted by the government before benefiting people that could use help. Many voters still believe Reagan’s claim that “Government is not the solution to our problem; it is the problem.”
Many voters, especially White males, also remain skeptical of Harris, which is to say they do not trust her. Some simply do not want a woman in the White House. But others believe Trump when he says that she is a communist bent on destructing America. By destructing America, he means imposing new rules and regulations meant to create a more equitable society. These voters assume some of those rules and regulations will change their lives. One claim I have heard many times is that employment opportunities will go to “minorities” (who is the minority these days?) at their expense.
Trump appears confident that a combination of “destroying the brand” of Harris and Walz while promising to close the border and end inflation (isn’t inflation already ending?) will be enough to win the election. He may be right.
The Harris agenda should be attractive to most voters. A more equitable society is a safer one. And most of us do not like housing shortages that result in homelessness, school-age children not being properly fed, unavailable health care to many, failing schools, and more. The problem, I think, is that it is difficult to communicate proposal details to skeptical, sometimes lazy, voters.
A call to stop millions of undocumented immigrants from entering the country is simpler to understand than a detailed plan to expand housing opportunity by tax credits, promoting denser housing in cities, and other similar regulations. Harris is not yet trying to educate voters on her proposals, apparently believing that slogans like “We won’t go back” are all that is needed to win in November. For example, she is not attempting to explain how her proposal to address the housing shortage would work, how it would impact individuals. All I hear is that it will be easier to buy a house if you are a low-income person.
So, what is my advice to the candidates? If I wanted Trump to win the election, I would tell him to visit a hypnotist who would help him focus. Without the craziness, Trump’s message, racist as it is, would reach more voters who might support it. Trump, in other words, is his own worst enemy. His base is fine with his simple MAGA agenda, but they are starting to worry about his age and sanity.
I, of course, do not want Trump to win. My advice to Harris is to get comfortable talking policy in greater details while being careful not to offer policy proposals that lend themselves to Trump’s demagoguery. Moderate and independent voters are hungry for a candidate who is not Trump, but they also need to be comfortable with that candidate. They hunger for an intelligent discussion of policy alternatives.
Harris has the first part nailed. She is the antithesis of Trump in likeability, ethics, energy, and more. The second part requires stronger performances in interviews, a better-than-expected showing at the September 10 debate, and the ability to not succumb to Trump’s attacks on her gender, ethnic background, and history as a California progressive.
Can Harris do it? Our future may depend on it.
J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant. He writes on politics, government, and, too infrequently, other subjects.
Deirdre LaMotte says
It has been less than a month that Kamala became the
nominee. Her momentum has been extraordinary and continues. Trump is attracting zero new supporters and
we all know MAGA types are a lost cause. He is diminishing mentally before our eyes and Kamala is
filling the void with truth and optimism.
Sarah Oppenheimer says
You mean truth and optimism like saying she wouldn’t take the ‘Trump vaccine’ before the 2020 election but then once in the White House said you cannot catch or give Covid if you get the vaccine and all military and medical workers have to get it or they are fired?
Deirdre LaMotte says
Oh, perhaps you mean she would not drink bleach as Trump advised the nation?
As for the mandated vaccine, it is SOP for
essential workers, including active military personnel to be vaccinated.
All this is beside the point. The man is a danger to the world. No, this is not hyperbole.
Sarah Oppenheimer says
Respectfully – you don’t really believe Trump told people to drink bleach do you? You understand that he was talking about a new light disinfectant technology right?
Wilson Dean says
The surge in support for Harris has clearly reversed the momentum Trump had when he thought his opponent would be President Biden. The article correctly points out that, in order to solidify and build a stronger following, Harris needs to focus on clarifying her positions on the economy and the border where Republican strategists feel she is the weakest. She needs to spell out in terms understandable to the average voter how her policy proposals will help them and reduce the effects of inflation from the past few years. She should also drive home the point that Trump has been the major obstacle to improving the border situation, due to his personally having torpedoed the bipartisan agreement in Congress reached on the issue.
At the same time, Harris should continue her campaign of “joy.” That approach stands in such stark contrast to Trump’s name calling and doom-and-gloom theatrics. Americans desperately crave someone who emphasizes improving our common future rather than the felon’s focus on expanding the divisions in our society.
Charles Barranco says
Wilson Dean,
Your points are well taken as to the areas VP Harris must clarify to assure voter understanding. I like your positive approach.
Paul Rybon says
Mr Dean seems to have forgotten a few inconvenient truths. I have a more favorable opinion of Democratic voters who are not happy with the party selecting a candidate behind closed doors with an unknown agenda, simply because she fit a progressive image. And some of her backtracking, on fracking for one, make others more dubious about some of her other serious stances. Is the ‘honeymoon’ losing its vibe as reality creeps in?
Kent Robertson says
President Trump was the first conservative President since Reagan who actually tried to do what he said he would do during the campaign. He was largely successful despite the huge roadblocks erected by the Democrats, RINOs, and mainstream media. I liked his policies that helped stem the tide of illegal immigrants. I liked his support of the 2nd Amendment. I liked his foreign policies that recognized we can’t be the world’s policeman, but we need a strong military as a deterrent. I liked the fact that we were not embroiled in a new war during his administration. I liked his energy independence policies. I liked that he cut regulation that stifles small businesses and gives big business advantages. I liked that the economy was humming along until COVID hit and that unemployment for non-whites was at its lowest ever…
In short, I liked his POLICIES.
I don’t believe for a second that VP Harris believes in all her own flip-flopping on law and order, border security, election integrity, or anything else that she has been so against all her prior public life.
I am firmly convinced that if VP Harris is elected with her far left running mate, all the “progressive” policies of the last 4 years will be doubled down. Gender “fluidity” mandates, poorly performing schools, defund the police, censoring of conservative voices, climate alarmism and its attendant EV mandates… these will continue and rapidly accelerate under a Harris/Walz administration. I am against their POLICIES.
You want to know what MAGA people are enthusiastic about? It’s policy, certainly not personality. Many of the people who vote for Trump in November wish he would be less, well, “Trump-ish” in his rhetoric. But we are willing to overlook that trait in favor of an America First policy agenda.
Deirdre LaMotte says
Harris will protect women’s rights to medical decisions about their own bodies and won’t
attempt to overthrow our democracy. I don’t need to hear how the sausage will be made, nor do most women and many men I know. But keep on pushing this idea that she’s vague on policy while our country is
threatened by an insane would-be dictator and the fascist proposals of Project 2025.
Trump had “policies”? Only those that benefited the “Trump Brand”. Where is that “Wall” to stop the flood of immigrants
that is no more thanks to Biden and no thanks to Trump.
And where is the $$$ from Mexico?
“America First”? There is no “America first“ without NATO and our close allies.
“Climate alarmist”? Time to open your eyes and see how unalarmist we
have been, to our peril. Do you realize climate is one of the causes of mass immigration
world wide? The cost is also costing billions
every year. What for? So some oil rich states
can continue to control our policies to line their pockets and deceive low-info voters?
Insanity.
I get it. A black smart Democrat is the Rs
worst nightmare. Well, not the smart Rs that have left the Party to protect the USA.
Brice R Gamber says
It boggles my mind that many democrats can’t conceive that it’s not Trump that Republicans are casting a vote for, but rather it’s AGAINST the Democratic agenda that has gone so far left to be unrecognizable to those of us that grew up in the 60’s and 70’s.
Further, trying to ascertain Harris’s covert agenda is like landing a fresh caught stripper flip flopping in your boat
John Dean says
I like your analogy. I don’t necessarily agree with it as a description of Harris, but it fits for Trump’s changing policy positions on reproductive rights.
In any case, thank you for reading the piece and for the comment.
Charles Barranco says
Mr. Dean,
Your article is certainly food for thought. I agree the September 10 debate must be hugely in favor of vice president Harris. I believe that no less than destroying Trump for all to see is Paramount. She should not have any trouble doing that, because she will be well prepared, concise, execute with velvet glove answers, And come across as presidential. Her answers will be precise, and she will not ramble which has been a problem for Trump.
Presuming Trump shows for the debate, he should be plummeted with questions about,
The $10 million from Egypt in 2016,
Questions about his role in the January 6 insurrection,
The three remaining indictments,
Why he’s using campaign funds to pay attorneys fees, and to prop up his businesses that are in the red,
Does he believe the president has absolute immunity for criminal acts?
An inquiry should be made of him to defend JD Vance’s asinine remarks regarding;
Women staying in an abusive relationship,
Women staying in the home to raise their children and not work, present company, excluded of course. I wonder what Vance’s’ wife’s opinion would be on that one.
These are just a few of the ripe questions to be presented during the debate for Trump to answer.
it’s a lot to remember so maybe she should just write keywords on both of her wrists and arms for reference and wear a long sleeve shirt.
Finally, I wondered about Trump’s “Patriots” Lounging in prison for 8 to 20 years and how they felt about the instigator of the January 6, insurrection, touring the Country, absolutely free of incarceration while they await the next assault from other inmates?
Thank You for writing another thought provoking article, as always!
John Dean says
Thank you for a great, substantive comment and for your kind words.
Laurie Powers says
Mr Dean,
You said, “The Harris agenda should be attractive to most voters. A more equitable society is a safer one. And most of us do not like housing shortages that result in homelessness, school-age children not being properly fed, unavailable health care to many, failing schools, and more. The problem, I think, is that it is difficult to communicate proposal details to skeptical, sometimes lazy, voters.”
I don’t think anyone needs to be reminded that VP Harris has been in office for nearly four years. I also don’t think the problem is “that it’s difficult to communicate proposal details to skeptical, sometimes lazy, voters.” Skeptical, yes, for good reason. Lazy? That’s arrogant, obnoxious and placing the blame where it doesn’t belong. Is she entitled to be president just because she’s the appointed nominee who is running against Donald Trump? It sounds like you believe so and that voters need to just not be lazy and get off their behinds to support her.
Maybe in the echo chamber you’re not hearing why people are skeptical. I hear a lot of skeptical voters say she and Biden didn’t fix the stated issues when they had the opportunity, so why should we believe that she will now. And others say she’s talking about fixing the problems that she and Biden created, so same question. And her continuance of misguided and authoritarian policies such as collusion with Big Tech and Media on increased censorship and propaganda, with the Military Industrial Complex on forever wars, with Big Pharma, Big Ag and other corporations which are polluting our food, air, water, soil and ruining children’s health with toxins aren’t winning over any skeptics who are paying attention, rather than being lazy.
Honestly, why should anyone trust her? She should have the easiest job in the world if she and Biden had done a good job the last four years, but the truth is, they haven’t. That’s the problem and why voters aren’t interested as you believe they should be. Many aren’t too thrilled that the anti-democratic Democrat party rigged the primary and changed the rules to knock out serious competition to Biden, didn’t hold debates, pulled off a switcheroo coup and installed the least popular VP and primary candidate in 2020, without a single primary vote in either election, as their nominee. Try the truth instead of projection; she is a lightweight, do-nothing, vapid candidate, a puppet of the deep state party who can’t even give an intelligent unscripted interview, who can’t defend her candidacy or her and Biden’s record since 2021, and whose ill-defined and authoritarian-leaning policies aren’t appealing to those who want to vote for a candidate for reasons other than she’s not Donald Trump.
William Keppen says
I am a registered Independent and have been for years. People like myself will decide this election. If like minded people get out and vote, Trump will be defeated this November. Please join us in this effort.