Angry Trump Starts Blame Game as Polls Reveal Big New Problem for Him
Oct 31, 2024
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Joel Payne, a senior official at MoveOn and expert in political strategy, delves into the chaos surrounding Donald Trump's campaign. With polls revealing tighter dynamics, Trump’s ire turns toward the RNC and unfounded claims of voter fraud. Payne discusses the urgency for Trump to rally low-propensity voters amid shifting support for Kamala Harris. He also highlights grassroots initiatives and the importance of community connections to engage underrepresented voters, as Democrats face significant challenges in maintaining their coalitions.
Trump's escalating blame game towards RNC chair and claims of voter fraud reflect his anxiety over upcoming election losses.
Kamala Harris's campaign effectively mobilizes low-propensity voters through community outreach, contrasting with Trump's struggling ground game strategies.
Deep dives
Trump's Concerns Over Election Integrity
Donald Trump is increasingly anxious about his chances in the upcoming election, particularly in critical swing states like Pennsylvania. He has been vocally blaming Republican National Committee Chair Michael Watley for lapses in election integrity management and has raised unsubstantiated claims about widespread voter fraud. This environment of blame appears to be a strategy to prepare for contesting potential losses, reflecting his fears as polls show Kamala Harris gaining engagement among voters. The RNC's actions, including legal challenges, suggest a significant level of anxiety about the election's outcome.
Ground Game Strategies of Both Campaigns
Both the Trump and Harris campaigns are employing distinct strategies to mobilize low-propensity voters as the election approaches. Harris is reportedly closing the gap on Trump through effective ground operations, which are highlighted by experienced organizers compared to what Trump is relying on—outsource efforts tied to figures like Elon Musk and Charlie Kirk. The contrasting dynamics of the campaigns reflect underlying concerns for Trump’s ground game, particularly as internal reports indicate his team is struggling to coordinate effectively. This situation creates an opportunity for Harris to build her coalition and secure voter turnout, especially among demographics disenchanted with Trump.
Engagement with Low-Propensity Voters
Kamala Harris's campaign is strategically focusing on mobilizing low-propensity voters, particularly among diverse communities like Puerto Ricans in Pennsylvania and younger Hispanic voters in Nevada. The campaign's efforts aim to counteract past comments made by Trump that could alienate these groups, using targeted outreach to build trust and encourage turnout. This approach contrasts with Trump's reliance on low-engagement conservative males, who are less motivated to vote. The Harris campaign uses community-based strategies to create a coalition that keeps key demographics engaged, addressing the challenges of losing support among non-white groups, which has been a concern for Democrats.
The presidential race is tied, and Donald Trump very well could win. But he is now scapegoating others for a possible loss: He’s reportedly angry with Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley, he’s raging about supposed voter fraud in Pennsylvania, and his allies are sounding new alarms about his ground game in key states. Meanwhile, new pollsshow engaged voters tilting to Kamala Harris, which means more pressure on Trump’s ground operation to turn out low-propensity voters. We talked to Joel Payne, a senior official at MoveOn, who explains what’s really happening with both sides’ ground games, why it could make the difference, and what could still go wrong for Democrats. Listen to this episode here.