Trump Will Lose If the Race Is Based on Popularity

Democratic strategist David Axelrod expressed on Tuesday that former President Donald Trump is likely to lose the upcoming presidential election if it hinges purely on the public’s perception of the two candidates.

During an interview with CNN’s John Berman, Axelrod remarked, “I think it‘s going to be a very tough race. And yes, I think that it is very clear that people have formed an opinion of Donald Trump, and if this race is decided on popularity, he will lose that race.”

Axelrod noted that part of Trump’s strategy appears to be focused on undermining Vice President Kamala Harris. He stated, “So their mission is to try and tear Kamala Harris down.”

He emphasized that Vice President Harris holds a slight edge in the race, as she still has the opportunity to shape her narrative. In contrast, Trump, who is well-known among the American public, faces difficulties in attempting to redefine himself amid the campaign.

“She’s relatively new to people, John. The fact is, vice presidents are known, but they‘re not known,” Axelrod explained. “She‘s done a very good job in the first phase of filling in information about herself and she‘s made up a lot of ground, but this is a neck-and-neck race.”

On the flip side, Axelrod pointed out that Trump lacks the option of presenting a “new Trump.” He suggested that Trump is neither planning nor interested in altering his campaign image. “One of the problems that campaign has is that he is the old Trump, and he can‘t stay on a message,” he added. “His preferred avenue is to rip down the opponent. That‘s what he does with great zeal and joy. And I expect that you‘re going to see that from now until the finish.”

Axelrod cautioned that the election cycle is poised to grow increasingly aggressive as candidates enter the final two-month stretch, saying, “I think if you live in one of the six battleground states, you should hide your children from the television set for the next eight weeks.”

Recent data from The Hill/Decision Desk HQ’s polling average indicates a noticeable improvement in Harris’s favorability ratings. Since emerging as a main contender for the Democratic ticket, she has managed to elevate her likability. Currently, she holds a net +1.5 percentage point favorability rating, with 48.8 percent favorable and 47.3 percent unfavorable opinions. Just two months ago, her net favorability rating was at -18.3 percentage points, with unfavorable ratings at 56.1 percent and favorable ratings at 37.8 percent.

In contrast, Trump’s favorability rating stands at a net -8.8 points, indicating a slight improvement from two months ago when he had a net -13.2 percentage point favorability rating.

In response to Axelrod’s comments, a representative from Trump’s campaign claimed that Trump is “dominating” in battleground states, asserting that voters are yearning for a return to pro-America policies that work, unlike what they described as the “radical policies of Comrade Kamala and Joe Biden.”

Moreover, Harris’s performance in battleground states has seen recent enhancements compared to President Biden’s standing when he was the presumptive candidate, with the race continuing to remain extremely close.

With both candidates intensifying their efforts to appeal to voters, the upcoming weeks promise to be significant in shaping the narrative leading to the election.

Source: The Hill