Crime, the economy, migrants: Donald Trump defended his party on these issues dear to Republicans in a conference Thursday at Mar-a-Lago, Florida. He also raised doubts about the legitimacy of his political opponent, Kamala Harris, and questioned her intelligence, while the Democratic campaign benefits from a resurgence of interest.
“We have somebody who has never received a single vote for president and she’s in the race — and I’m fine with that, but they gave us Joe Biden and now they’re giving us somebody else,” he said, questioning the constitutionality of the move. Without specifying that the nomination process is not enshrined in the Constitution and is governed by each party; Democratic delegates voted online for the nomination.
Donald Trump’s conference was announced Thursday morning, as Republicans ramp up criticism of the Democratic candidate for her lack of interviews.
PHOTO JULIA NIKHINSON, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and running mate Tim Walz, left, at a campaign event in front of UAW union members
The Democratic campaign has been enjoying renewed attention since the announcement that Joe Biden is withdrawing his candidacy and replacing him with Kamala Harris. The choice of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as his running mate has also been well-received. The ticket has raised tens of millions of dollars following those announcements.
Strategy
“The Democratic ticket change completely destroyed the Republican plan,” Shannon Bow O’Brien, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, told Reuters by phone. “Trump expected it to be easy against Joe Biden.”
It won’t change the campaign, because it will mostly be about policies, Trump said.
But he can no longer use the oft-repeated phrases about Joe Biden’s age or lack of drive.
The Republican candidate used another insult, questioning more than once on Thursday the intelligence and competence of his political opponent.
PHOTO ALEX BRANDON, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Donald Trump questioned Kamala Harris’ intelligence on Thursday.
After leaving doubts hanging over whether the presidential debate would be held on September 10, he finally agreed to participate. The Republican also proposed to hold other televised debates on September 4 and 25, for a total of three debates on Fox News, ABC and NBC.
Elections and fraud
Current President Joe Biden has expressed concern this week about how Republicans will react if they lose on November 5. Asked about it, Donald Trump responded: “Of course there will be a peaceful transfer, like there was last time. There will be a peaceful transfer; I just hope we have a fair election.” He falsely claimed that no one was killed in the January 6, 2021, storming of the Capitol after his defeat.
The former president also reiterated that there should be only one day to vote, without electronic voting, with identification papers and proof of citizenship.
Rumors of possible electoral fraud, used in 2020, remain a strategy to call into question the results of the vote, believes Mr.me O’Brien: The election is shaping up to be close, “and the best thing the Republicans have right now is to leave the results in doubt, even though the process is very secure,” she says.
Pivotal States
Donald Trump claimed to have a majority of support. Media outlets published the results of a Marquette University Law School poll that put Kamala Harris in the lead, with 52%, in voting intentions.
However, it will be the votes in the swing states that will be decisive – and for now, the gaps in voting intentions there remain small and changeable.
“It’s hard to gauge the impact of this on independents, it’s moving so fast,” Stella M. Rouse of Arizona State University said by phone.
Arizona is one of those swing states. It’s also a border region with Mexico, where immigration is a big issue, Mr.me Rouse: Just like the economy, a subject capable of rallying independent or disengaged voters to the polls.
The Democratic team and Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance traveled to Wisconsin and Michigan on Wednesday, two other key states in the election. Donald Trump was notably absent. At a press conference, he said his planned trips to states that are still his party’s preserve were primarily aimed at helping Republican candidates for the Senate and House of Representatives.
“The problem with Trump is that he is very unpredictable, and [son équipe] will prepare him and tell him what he should say, but he deviates from the established script,” notes M.me O’Brien: The decision to send Mr. Vance alone into those states may be due to his greater discipline and his image as a Midwestern American. “It’s pretty common to use the vice presidential candidate as an attack dog and a spokesman,” she adds.