Trump’s team is already on the attack against Harris
The Sunday after the June 27 presidential debate, top advisers to Donald Trump went to bed expecting the Democratic handwringing over President Joe Biden’s performance to cool and give way to a fresh cycle of headlines at the start of the new week.
In the days following the June 27 presidential debate, Donald Trump's top advisers anticipated that concerns about Joe Biden's performance would ease, but they were mistaken. They started to consider the possibility of Biden stepping down and examined the potential Democratic contenders, including Kamala Harris, whom they believed to be the most likely successor. Trump's campaign has now shifted its focus to attacking Harris, tying her to the Biden administration's policies and criticizing her record as a prosecutor and attorney general in California. The campaign and aligned super PACs are working to define Harris negatively to voters, focusing on issues such as the border, inflation, and crime. While Trump's team had previously centered their strategy on defeating Biden, they now face a changed race, and Trump becomes the candidate with age-related concerns. Republicans acknowledge that Harris could reenergize Democrats and attract Black and young voters, potentially making states like Georgia more competitive. Trump's campaign is preparing a series of negative ads against Harris and highlighting her support for Biden despite his apparent mental decline. The dynamic of the campaign has shifted, and Trump must now adapt to face a new opponent.