In just 17 days, Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign took a surprising turn. Initially, Trump’s path to victory seemed clear as the Republican Party united around him, especially after he survived an assassination attempt. President Joe Biden, on the other hand, was struggling with low poll numbers and fundraising issues.
However, things changed rapidly. Trump made a fiery speech at the Republican convention, ignoring calls for unity. Three days later, Biden dropped out of the race, and Vice President Kamala Harris quickly secured the Democratic nomination, breaking fundraising records.
This sudden change left Trump’s campaign scrambling. They faced backlash over old comments from Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, about “childless cat ladies.” Trump also struggled to attack Harris effectively, even making controversial statements about her racial heritage, which caused further issues.
Harris’ entry into the race energized Democrats and erased Trump’s polling and fundraising advantage. Trump’s team was now uncertain about how to win over Black and Latino voters. The campaign’s pollster admitted that the focus had shifted away from important issues.
Trump’s campaign seemed complacent, lacking a clear strategy and effective media operations. There were calls for a shake-up within the campaign. Some Republicans worried about Trump’s ability to stay on message, especially after he went off-script at the National Association of Black Journalists’ convention, making false claims about Harris.
Harris dismissed Trump’s comments as divisive and focused on uniting her supporters. Many Republicans and Democrats criticized Trump’s remarks, with some believing it would backfire and rally more support for Harris.
Overall, Trump’s campaign faced a significant challenge as they tried to adapt to the new race dynamics and find a consistent message against Harris. The campaign’s future strategies remained uncertain as they navigated this unexpected turn of events.
This summary is based on a report from CNN.
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/08/04/politics/donald-trump-campaign-topsy-turvy/index.html