Trump and Harris Scramble to Fix Weaknesses as the US Election Nears Closest Finish

This now widely publicized 2024 US presidential election, by latest statements emanating from some known politicians, is said to be one of the closest elections in history. The tight polls now throw former US President Donald Trump and US Vice President Kamala Harris into a hot scramble for redemption of their weaknesses.

Both take turns changing plans, polishing the message, and working tirelessly to touch undecided voters in the critical battleground states as election day draws near. The stakes are very high with this particular one mistake sending the highly taut contest in favor of the other.

Explore how Trump and Harris view two different weaknesses as they move closer to the end of this historical electoral campaign.

Trump’s Weak Spots: From Legal Troubles to Expanding His Base

He remains a very controversial U.S. politician, still enjoys much support but with controversy attached to his candidacy. Since leaving office, there have been a handful of lawsuits plaguing former President Trump, including one over his indictment of spurring violence on January 6th on the Capitol and another claiming he interferred with the elections.

Still, by this sort of character definition, Trump was able to become a popular victim of political persecution by defining the political battle as the judicial system attacking him to gather his loyal supporters.

1. Legal Troubles and ‘Persecution’ Narrative

Trump has almost entirely relied on the narrative of being “persecuted” by the judicial system. His administration framed the various indictment outcomes as part of a general conspiracy during periods when the political class meets to bring him down-a narrative to which the fans of Trump could identify closely.

But this is far from safe. While many votaries like it, moderates and independents may well consider the growing legal issues as disqualifying. To combat this vulnerability, Trump has emphasized his narrative of fighting for “the forgotten Americans” and portraying himself as an outsider who would finally drain the swamp.

His goal is to keep his base motivated while also persuading hesitant voters who are suspicious of the current political system.

2. Expanding Beyond His Base

While his hardcore base is nearly fully committed to Trump, one of his tougher challenges is expanding his base. The past president has primarily based his campaign on the states and voters that elected him in 2016, but it is a different story in 2024.

Since losing in 2020, the candidate has lost crucial demographics such as suburban voters and women. Furthermore, his treatment of controversial subjects such as abortion and health care would be likely to push even more moderate supporters away.

A campaign that would take that sort of approach would be more forthright in its efforts to speak to the Black and Latino followers of Donald Trump to nudge discussions around issues of economic empowerment and crime reduction and took a step back on some policy issues where he had gone so far as to harden his rhetoric in an effort to woo moderates and independents who can buckle into his America First program.

3. Communication and Debate Tactics

Trump also has worked on perfecting his speaking style within debates and even exclusive interviews. Though brazen, boisterous, and aggressive, it was during previous campaigns that Trump earned praise from his devoted followers but disappointed undecided voters.

Now that this race is so very close, his campaign knows that he must be more composed and presidential in debates yet still be himself. His strategy thereafter seems to be more focused messages, attacking perceived shortcomings of the Biden-Harris administration on inflation, the economy, and immigration.

This is one way of defusing his legal troubles: diverting attention from his own troubles to perceived shortcomings in Harris as vice president while keeping a debating and interviewing edge for himself.

Harris’s Weak Spots: From Low Approval Ratings to Defining Her Role

On the other side of the campaign is the Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris. First and foremost, she becomes history as being the first woman, Black, and South Asian Vice President.

Under the many magnifying glasses, her public face has nagged all sorts of criticisms, even more so, in a high position in the administration with her approval ratings still notoriously low and persistently poor even to this day among Democrats.

1. Defining Her Role in the Biden Administration

The biggest challenge she had was defining a clear role that bears significance during her tenure as vice president. Critics say that she had not established a clear policy platform; and even in regard to high-profile issues such as immigration reform and voting rights, only an uneven outcome has been produced from her leadership.

The Harris campaign has worked hard to demonstrate achievements on such critical issues of climate change, women’s rights, and economic fairness in the leadup to the election.

Her priorities now also seem to be laying a rallying cry for the Democratic base with special attention paid toward organizing young people and minorities who are increasingly alienated from the political process. Harris wants to present the image of a determined leader who gets things done, no matter how terrible the situation.

2. Addressing Low Approval Ratings

The problems Harris’ approval ratings have not addressed are the same for President Biden; therefore, the Republicans think she will not carry them to victory. Her team does understand this problem and concurs that needs to be remedied, so it has started to improve her image.

The strategy of attack is to make the Vice President more accessible. This includes appearing on the top rated television shows, sitting in with local news stations, and having an active online presence on social media.

In addition, her staff is working hard to find ways to communicate publicly about the work Harris is doing on crucial policy issues. From the work on reproductive rights to addressing climate change, Harris hopes to win over uncertain voters with practical effects of her policy provisions.

3. Overcoming the ‘Gender Bias’ Factor

Given Harris is the first-ever woman of color to be appointed as Vice President, she faces special challenges that are inherently part and parcel of the evils that exist in American politics based on gender and race.

Her detractors have often hinted at her being a poor leader or incapable, something charge that has mostly been raised more venomously against women and minorities serving in public life. Harris’s campaign directly challenged these by presenting them as strengths as she would be the first woman and, most importantly, the first female minority and able to break barriers.

Harris has a strategy of staying in the issues which would matter to voters. She has based herself on healthcare access, affordable housing, and education, looking for a strong contrast with Trump in areas in which he is commonly seen as unsympathetic to their plight.

Harris is hoping to attract moderates and independents alongside Democrats’ base by focusing on things that directly affect everyday life.

A Tight Race: Key Battleground States and Voter Turnout

Both sides are also mobilizing resources to key battleground states where there’s a need for Trump and Harris to counter their shortcomings. Among those most likely to make the difference will be Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, and Arizona; each side is investing generously in voter participation efforts in these states.

For Trump, the goal is to re-energize the rural vote while also making inroads in the suburbs, particularly among women and independent voters. Meanwhile, Harris is expected to help energize turnout among black, Latino and young voters – the group most often cited as essential for Democratic margins of victory but notoriously tough to organize.

Both campaigns keep a close eye on early voting, and where those innovations-mail-in voting, in particular-and voter ID laws cut into the latter’s base. Turnout promises to be the deciding factor in an election that will determine whether campaign best exploits its opponent’s vulnerabilities while mobilizing its base on Election Day.

Conclusion: A High-Stakes Final Push

As the 2024 U.S. presidential election primary approaches, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris go further into efforts to fortify their strong points while weakening their weak points. For Trump, it is a strategy of rallying his faithful and expanding his moderate base at the right moment when his personal legal headaches recede from public view.

Harris is defining her role in the Biden administration, improving her popularity ratings, and overcoming particular challenges presented by being the first woman of color in such a deeply influential position. It will all depend on this nearly tied election. Both candidates are keenly aware that it will only take one tiny mistake to sway the balance of such a closely contested race.

From Trump’s self-proclaimed fight against ‘persecution’ or Harris’s attempt to boost her persona, surely, the next president of the White House will be who appears to correct their flaws and sway whatever margin is left among the undecideds.

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