Trump ‘could win, but he isn’t a majority candidate,’ says Brit Hume

Brit Hume, chief political analyst for Fox News, expressed his views on Sunday regarding former President Trump’s prospects in the upcoming presidential election. Hume argues that while Trump has the potential to win, the significant dislike for him among voters makes him “not a majority candidate.”

During an appearance on “Fox News Sunday,” Hume was asked why Trump appears to be struggling to maintain a lead over Vice President Harris, especially given that many polls reflect widespread voter dissatisfaction with the current state of the country. Hume simply stated, “Because he’s Trump.”

He elaborated that the political landscape of the last eight to ten years has revolved around Trump. Hume suggested that the Democratic Party likely had confidence in Biden’s candidacy because they anticipated Trump would be the Republican nominee once again, which indeed came to pass.

In recent weeks, Trump’s lead in the race for the presidency has diminished as Harris officially launched her campaign on the Democratic side. While Hume acknowledged that Trump has a solid base of support, he estimated that it lies between 40 to 45 percent of the voting population.

Hume further commented on Trump’s electoral hurdles by tracing back to Trump’s previous campaigns. “His weakness is the predicate for our politics going back now three elections,” he stated. He noted that Trump previously overcame the challenge posed by Hillary Clinton, who was seen as an unpopular opponent. However, he failed to defeat Joe Biden and faced disappointing outcomes during the midterm elections, which Hume attributed to Trump’s consistent weaknesses.

Hume concluded that despite the enthusiasm of Trump’s supporters, this alone will not make him a “majority candidate.” He asserted, “Donald Trump, no matter how enthusiastic his supporters are, nonetheless, is not a majority candidate. He might win, but he’s not a majority candidate.”

As for Harris, since taking over from Biden last month, she has rapidly solidified her support within the Democratic base. National and swing-state polls indicate that she has been closing the gap with Trump. Recent data from The Hill/Decision Desk HQ shows that she currently holds a slight lead of 1.8 percentage points over Trump based on an aggregation of 120 polls.

Political analysts have offered various explanations for Harris’s rise in the polls. Some have pointed out renewed enthusiasm for her candidacy following a turbulent period for both Biden and Trump. Additionally, concerns regarding Trump’s confrontational style and reliance on personal attacks have been highlighted.

As Harris gains traction, Trump has continued to use harsh rhetoric towards her, labeling her as “incompetent” and even questioning her racial identity. These attacks have prompted some GOP members to urge Trump to pivot his focus toward policy disputes with Harris instead of personal jabs.

Despite the challenges posed by her increasing popularity, Trump appears unfazed by Harris’s ascent, suggesting that her current momentum is merely part of a “honeymoon” phase that he believes will come to an end.

The dynamics between Trump and Harris as they vie for the presidency will undoubtedly evolve as the election approaches, making it imperative for both candidates to carefully navigate their strategies and public perceptions.

Source: The Hill