SOUTH BEND, IN (WSBT) — For the 2024 presidential candidates, it is the decisive phase of their election campaign.
Both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have a lot of catching up to do.
Political experts say politics should be the top priority for any candidate.
Experts from both IUSB and St. Mary’s said it was critical for Trump and Harris to highlight their policies and stances on key issues such as border controls, inflation and abortion.
The two candidates deal with all of this very differently.
The countdown to November has begun: The Democratic Party Convention ended last night and both candidates had the opportunity to speak to the nation about their plans for the presidency.
The next 74 days are critical for Vice President Harris and former President Trump as they must push through their policies on hot-button issues like border security and abortion.
In her speech last night, Harris addressed issues such as the war between Israel and Hamas and abortion, and also described her middle-class childhood.
Former President Trump, on the other hand, focused on the state of the country and his activities in the White House during his term in office, attacking Harris at almost every opportunity.
One political expert said the candidates’ attention is now turning to the swing states.
“Now they’re going to try to really focus on the swing voters, voters who can be persuaded, and especially those who live in the swing states, to convince them that their message should be listened to and that they are the right candidates for the future,” said Elizabeth Bennion, professor of political science at IUSB.
Especially in the swing states, it is young voters, the middle class and white workers who could make the difference.
Bennion said it was still questionable whether young voters would go to the polls given their frustration over the Gaza war.
“The undecided voters who say we will not give our vote to the Democrats unless they take a stronger stance on Gaza is a challenge for Democrats and one that both Democrats and Republicans are keeping a close eye on in order to win over these undecided voters,” Bennion said.
Bennion also said, “It’s hard to maintain that level of enthusiasm and momentum over a long period of time,” and, “How do you keep up with someone who’s running a sprint instead of a marathon?”
Former President Trump and Vice President Harris will face off in their first debate on September 10.
