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As Democrats bask in the euphoria of four days of partying in Chicago, Vice President Kamala Harris isn’t just content with the good vibes.
“Now, listen, I’ve got 75 days left,” Harris told reporters as she left the United Center on Thursday night after an emotional acceptance speech. “For better or worse, that’s my character. That was good, now I have to move on.”
Party leaders repeatedly stressed throughout the week that despite the positive atmosphere within the party, tougher times lie ahead.
“Kamala Harris had a great week and capped off a great month,” David Axelrod, a senior White House adviser to former President Barack Obama, wrote on X. “But the country is close and the race will be fierce, with every inch of ground in battleground states.”
On Friday, Trump tried to regain some attention by touting the endorsement of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kennedy’s approval ratings plummeted over the summer, and Trump is hoping the well-known vaccine skeptic’s supporters can give him a boost in key states in what could be a very close race.
“This is simply good news for President Trump and his campaign,” Trump pollster Tony Fabrizio said in a statement released by the campaign.
Kennedy has vowed to remove his name from the ballot in 10 battleground states, but it’s unclear whether all his efforts will be successful. As election law expert Derek T. Mueller points out at X, in Wisconsin, a candidate’s name can only be removed if they die, meaning zombie candidates could continue on.
Both major candidates are expected to return to the campaign trail in the coming days before their first debate in Philadelphia on Sept. 10, which will be the first time Ms. Harris meets with Biden and their first since President Joe Biden’s disastrous performance in June changed the course of the race.
Republicans hope the debate will force Harris to confront her record as she seeks to move quickly to the center on key issues such as health care and fracking, moving away from the progressive policy positions she took during the 2020 Democratic primary.
The Trump campaign has been trying to get Harris to sit down for a sit-down interview, perhaps to further explore her changing views, but so far she has been focused on campaigning around the country, soaking up the free media attention that comes with packed rallies.
If history repeats itself, Harris’ momentum could continue. Candidates traditionally rise in the polls after their party conventions. Harris holds just a 1.5-point lead in national polls, according to the RealClearPolitics polling average. That’s a big change given Biden’s consistent struggles, but it’s not an insurmountable lead. In 1988, then-Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis held a 17-point lead in late July before being overtaken by Vice President George H.W. Bush to win the election.
Trump’s advisers warned that Harris would rise in the polls and framed this period as Harris’ “honeymoon.” But so far, Trump has struggled to maintain a consistent attack on Harris. He has also reverted to his old ways, watering down his message and antagonizing Republicans by claiming that Harris is not black. On Thursday night, Trump tried to defuse a feud with Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, perhaps trying to move past a new one that threatened to sabotage his chances in key states.
The former president has also revamped his campaign leadership, bringing back his 2016 campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, to the official team. Trump is hoping to find the magic that powered his 2016 upset, but it’s unclear how successful he will be if he continues to stray from his message.
One of Harris’ biggest concerns is that Trump remains ahead in key campaign metrics, while Biden remains deeply unpopular: 73% of people dislike the direction of the country, according to a Gallup poll.
While there are some signs that Harris has weakened Trump’s advantage on the economy, a recent ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll found that she still leads Trump by nine points when asked who would handle the economy better. Trump also leads by 10 points on immigration. The same poll found that voters view Harris much more favorably than Trump.
It’s also worth noting that with so many Americans voting before Election Day, neither side can wait until November 5 to peak. Early voting in Pennsylvania, arguably the most crucial battleground state, begins on September 16, less than a week after the first debate.