The change of a presidential candidate added to American Democratic Party’s momentum. In recent weeks, Kamala Harris in the polls matched Donald Trump, who dominated over Joe Biden in June and July, and in some even gained a several-point advantage. The lifting of spirits can be seen at the Democratic convention taking place this week. The teams of both candidates are now preparing for a election debate scheduled for September 10. Such clashes are the climactic point of election campaigns, which can determine the election result.
“The election campaign in the United States after changing the presidential candidate among the Democratic Party is very even. Earlier, Donald Trump presented himself much better, today it can be said that the candidates speak very well to their electorates. The question is, which one will be able to better convince those who are hitherto undecided voters but it is difficult to indicate a leader of both appearances and public opinion” emphasizes Dr. Jarosław Szczepański from the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Warsaw in an interview with Newseria Biznes agency.
Before the incumbent president Joe Biden decided to withdraw from the race for re-election, the polls gave Donald Trump, his rival, greater chances. His victory seemed almost certain after an attempt on his life, that took place during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on July 13th. The unsuccessful performance of Joe Biden during the first election debate, which took place in late June, also favored the Republican candidate. Then the pressures began on the incumbent president to withdraw from the campaign. Biden made such a decision a month later, at the end of July, and the current vice president, Kamala Harris, became the candidate of the Democratic Party.
“The current mood in the resurgent Democratic camp is one of full enthusiasm. Changing the presidential candidate has resulted in a burst of euphoria, which can be seen in the recent polls in the United States. Republicans, however, are in a stable position and perhaps a bit confused, maybe due to sudden rise in support for Kamala Harris. But it seems that they could have expected such a development, as there is always a kind of bonus when a poorly rated candidate is replaced by a much better perceived candidate,” says Dr. Jarosław Szczepański.
Recent polls indicate very even chances, even giving Kamala Harris advantage over Donald Trump. In a CBS and YouGov poll, the vice president wins by 3 points, 51 to 48 percent. The “New York Times” survey indicates that she even has a chance to win in several key states, where the polls have so far pointed to Donald Trump.
The optimism of the Democrats can also be seen during the convention taking place in Chicago this week. It will conclude with the official approval of Kamala Harris as the party’s candidate.
The campaign is now probably preparing for election debates. The debate scheduled for September 10th promises to be very interesting. Although it seems on face value that Donald Trump is a much better speaker, Kamala Harris shows that she is not far behind and can even surpass him. He’s increasingly being labeled as an elderly man. The argument is already being used that it’s time to “put him to sleep,” alluding to his instance of slumber during his own trial. The Democrat’s anti-Trump narrative is likely to be a starting point for an aggressive stance in the Kamala Harris debate.
Dr. Jarosław Szczepański explains further: “Debates in the United States are the heart of politics, that’s the main part of how election campaigns are conducted. All public events along the way lead to the candidates, whether for governor or president, engaging in a direct face-off in order to show their worth in a debate against an equal challenger.”
Analysts point out that in certain states where support for any side is not unanimous, the election result could be decided by not hundreds but tens of thousands of votes. The issues that currently interest Americans most are security and the economy, as well as education and abortion. The candidates’ debates will likely focus on these topics.
Education is not addressed as often by the Democratic Party, but is still important to Republicans. Donald Trump has announced a complete decentralization of the education system, that is, the abolition of standards and control at the federal level and the transfer of the entire public education to the state level.
The political scientist emphasizes these are topics that traditionally come back during subsequent election campaigns. This time the issue of abortion is being heavily emphasized – Kamala Harris has already announced her fight for women’s right to abortion. It’s because of the Supreme Court’s decision of two years ago, which overturned the famous Roe vs. Wade court precedent, which for nearly half a century guaranteed constitutional access to abortion in the United States.
