Trump's Campaign Strategy: Focus on Harris' Liberalism, Win Key States

Former President Trump's campaign plans to counter-program the Democratic National Convention and focus on portraying Vice President Kamala Harris as an ultra-liberal, aiming to win key battleground states.

With Vice President Kamala Harris gaining momentum ahead of the Democratic National Convention, former President Trump and his campaign are ramping up efforts to blunt her impact. The Trump campaign plans to counter-program during the Democrats' convention, which kicks off next Monday in Chicago.

According to a senior Trump campaign adviser, the campaign will deploy "a whole cadre of people," including Trump and top surrogates, to the field next week. The goal is to counterprogram the Democrats' national nominating convention with key people in battleground states and available to the media. One of those key people will be Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley.

Trump's Campaign Strategy: Focus on Harris' Liberalism, Win Key States

In the past, presidential candidates typically laid low during the opposing party's national nominating convention. However, Trump's campaign is taking a different approach, with President Biden briefly campaigning in Nevada last month despite holding his convention in Milwaukee. Biden's announcement that he was ending his re-election campaign further upended the 2024 election.

Trump has argued that he is not actively campaigning because he is leading in the polls, but recent polls indicate that Harris has closed the gap. Sources in Trump's political orbit say that top advisers are aiming to persuade him to focus on branding Harris as an ultra-liberal and highlighting her stance on the border, crime, and inflation, rather than insulting her or questioning her racial identity.

Trump's Campaign Strategy: Focus on Harris' Liberalism, Win Key States

Trump allies, such as former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, have publicly urged Trump to refocus his attention on policy positions. McCarthy emphasized that Trump needs to start "questioning her position" instead of focusing on personalities.

Trump is expected to spotlight an economic argument against Harris at a campaign event in North Carolina on Wednesday. It will be his second stop in the crucial southeastern battleground state since Harris replaced Biden on the Democratic ticket. The Trump campaign has also announced a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.

Trump's Campaign Strategy: Focus on Harris' Liberalism, Win Key States

Trump's running mate, Sen. JD Vance, will hold campaign events in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin this week. Trump himself returned to X [formerly known as Twitter] on Monday, posting a series of campaign videos and gaining over 900,000 new followers.

The Trump campaign emphasizes that it will continue to utilize alternative platforms, such as X, conversational podcasts, and press availabilities, to connect with voters and contrast Trump's "unscripted conversations" with Harris's apparent media avoidance.

Trump's Campaign Strategy: Focus on Harris' Liberalism, Win Key States

While technical difficulties delayed Trump's interview with Elon Musk, the platform's owner and a Trump supporter, the candidate gained a significant following on X. Prominent Republican donor Dan Eberhart believes Trump should increase his campaign activity, particularly after the Democratic convention.