While Vice President Kamala Harris enjoyed a generous lead following Biden’s drop out of the presidential election and resurrection after her September presidential debate with the Republican nominee, Trump has been able to overcome the difference in record time, all while being out-funded month over month. This was not due to luck, nor a significant failure by the Harris campaign, but because of a campaign strategy that diverged from the traditional Republican handbook. Trump realized he needed to expand his voting base.

Trump’s 2024 campaign has taken a new path compared to his Republican predecessors, focusing on bases the party has historically ignored. The former president’s new strategy of expanding the Republican party to new demographics has not just been an experiment, but a success. The election is not a race but a marathon, and while Harris got an early start, the Trump campaign has picked up steam. 

The Power In Trump’s Outsider Status

This election cycle, Trump has weaponized his radical personality to new heights, portraying himself as a continued outsider in politics to appeal to frustrated moderates. His flamboyant personality was the bane of the September debate but has been the same reason for his continued relevance in politics. Since 2016, Trump has been chugging away to the same tune. He presents himself as a successful billionaire who is going to fire the bureaucrats, drain the swamp, and revamp America. 

Other candidates would instantly squirm when questioned on how their policy proposals would achieve these intangible ideals, yet Trump doesn’t falter. When he is questioned, he doubles down on his claims, whether it be tariffs, immigration, or his defense of January 6th. While these statements will further dissuade, if not antagonize, lifelong Democrats’ view of Trump. Trump knows that he wouldn’t have won their vote no matter what he did. 

Instead, his confidence and unconventional policy proposals appeal to the Americans frustrated with traditional politicians, a base who make up 64% of the current electorate. Ironically enough, radicalism in the current political climate appeals to moderates. For the lifelong businessman, it seems like his investment has paid off, as moderates in swing states have become increasingly favorable of Trump in the past three months.

But just winning moderates doesn’t win elections. As Hillary Clinton painfully learned in 2016, the ability to make sure your voting base turns out is vital. Trump’s radical personality and showmanship, from posing a triumphant fist right after his attempted assassination to recently working a shift at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania, appeals to Republicans who prefer a candidate who breaks free of molds and standards. 

Additionally, after every scandal Trump has had, his campaign has been able to convert his base’s fervor into donations. Few other candidates can gain so much free publicity. Trump’s personality won the election in 2016, but in 2020 it wasn’t enough. In this election, Trump has developed new tactics.

The Blame Game Mobilizes Minority Voters

One of the first new tactics for the Trump campaign is a new way to appeal to minorities. For a man who once called Covid-19 the “Kung Flu,” Trump has done astonishingly well with minority populations across the board. When we follow his train of thought, his reach of success is remarkably simple: he stopped preaching about his administration and started criticizing the current one. 

For the past two years, both parties have disenfranchised minority voters as their talk of policies that would reduce wealth inequality and provide additional stability stands in stark contrast with the current United States, with more inequality than ever before. Minorities no longer trust candidates’ claims that their administration will create substantial benefits for them, and Trump’s success stems from simply convincing them that the other administration would create more negatives. 

The former president has also been able to successfully link Democrats to the inflation crisis and the deteriorating job market in traditional manufacturing. Trump presented himself as at worst, a necessary evil, and at best, a revolutionary businessman that would restore pre-pandemic economics. While Democrats are only currently spending 20% of their funding on attack ads, Trump’s campaign is spending 80% of theirs. Trump trusts that reminding minorities of the failures of the current administration is better than lifting his own administration up. 

Despite his current policy proposals being considered even more inflationary than Harris’. Trump built his campaign upon constructing a wall against Mexico, yet 40% of Latinos under the age of 30 are still voting for him. Trump’s campaign has proven that the best way Republicans can mobilize the minority vote this election is by harnessing disparaged demographics hate of the status quo. 

Rallying The Young Male Vote

Both parties are over a century old, and it shows. Democrats and Republicans have historically had trouble bringing out youth turnout, this is no longer an issue for the right. In swing states, which are crucial to the election, both parties understand that the youth is a crucial sector that can decide who wins. In the case of Democrats, their appeal to social media trends such as “Kamala Harris is Brat,” inspired by Charli XCX’s hit summer album, has only reached a limited progressive audience that would have voted for the vice president beforehand. Meanwhile, these social media trends only alienated more moderate and less social media-inclined bases. 

Trump has managed to figure out the miracle cure: making the youth not feel like they are “saving democracy,” but instead calling them to arms to protect a battered America. Trump has managed to gain popularity amongst both men with college education and those without, as well as men of color. 

Trump does so by not directly advertising, but oftentimes by having more tech-savvy right-wing sources to do the work for him. Whether it is animation channels such as FreedomToons, to appearing on the Joe Rogan podcast on Oct. 25, Trump knows that the best way to appeal to the new generation is to stop trying so hard to relate to them. Instead, he is content to advertise himself as an adult who is trying his best to keep up American pride while telling the younger generations that Democrats are killing it. He presents the idea of being a Republican as becoming a fan of a football team: the events are explosive, the merch is iconic, and the opposing team’s always the enemy. His new spike in popularity speaks volumes. 

There is less than a week until election day, and both campaigns are spending every last dollar they have. Yet, in terms of progress, Trump is steadily moving across the track while Harris’s campaign has stayed stagnant. The road to 270 is a long one; Trump’s campaign is only gaining more energy. 

With the 2024 Presidential Election just days away, all eyes are on former president Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris as they prepare for the final stretch of their campaign. Trump and his Vice Presidential nominee JD Vance spent last week in our own city of Austin falsely reminding the nation that he “won that second election so easy,” in a 3-hour long podcast episode with Joe Rogan. Meanwhile, Harris was partying it up at her rally in Houston with performances from Beyoncé and Willie Nelson. She touched on the key points of her campaign, notably women’s healthcare. Harris gave a powerful speech, stating that freedom in America is “not to be bestowed.” and that it includes “the fundamental freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body and not have the government telling her what to do.” 

No one can deny that Harris is a great orator, and this is further highlighted by the contrast between her and the frequent garbage coming out of her opponent’s mouth, much like the false claim, “they’re eating the dogs, they’re eating the cats,” referring to rumors that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio are eating their neighbors’ pets. But Harris’ strength in speaking is much more than that. 

 A young and charismatic candidate is powerful to Americans, many of whom are used to senile old men who don’t care about their rights.. Harris may not be very youthful at 60 years old , but she still knows how to appeal to voters. Her stance on key issues, such as abortion, make her a desirable option for president. 

Rallying the Women Vote

Vice President Kamala Harris has used the topic of abortion rights  to strengthen her campaign and support from voters, especially young women. On her website, she promises to secure the right to abortion nationwide. 

This is especially relevant in Republican states such as Texas, which has outlawed abortions completely except in cases where the life or bodily function of the pregnant person is at severe risk. Under this law, violators could be fined $100,000, lose their health care licensing, or be charged as a felon, making it virtually impossible to receive the necessary health care. 

These abortion bans have had detrimental effects on Americans, with infant mortality rates increasing in Texas since the ban. 

These troubling statistics are the reason why Harris has been putting such a large focus on protecting women’s rights. She was the first vice president to ever visit an abortion clinic, which she did after the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. Harris has made sure abortion is a key point in this year’s presidential election, and her views on the topic could not be any more different than that of Trump and anti-abortion voters. 

Obviously, the Harris-Walz campaign is not only focused on the topic of women’s rights. Harris has many policies she hopes to put in place as president. The economy is always a big factor in elections, and with wars going on around the world, The United States has to focus on our part in foreign affairs as well. That’s why Harris has many other policies she is focusing on this election season.

Harris and Walz, The American Pick

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz represents the average American perfectly. He is a former military man, football coach, a father, gun owner, and is overall your lovable midwestern dad. His politics are dedicated to the common man, which makes him the perfect choice of a running mate for Harris.

Together, the Harris-Walz administration plans to help the middle class in many ways. With their promise to not raise taxes for anyone who makes less than $400,000 a year, Harris and Walz plan to help America be as affordable as possible.

Harris stated that as president she will pass a middle class tax cut that will benefit more than 100 million Americans. Economic experts support her, with Moody Analytics saying that more than a million new jobs will be created under Harris’s plan. Meanwhile, research shows that Trump would cause a recession, add to inflation, and cost more than three million jobs. 

Other than taxes, Harris has also focused on supporting foreign countries facing war. She has publicly stated her support for Ukraine and Gaza, pledging to ensure that the suffering in Gaza will end with her as president. Both Harris and President Joe Biden have been attacked for their views on Israel and the ongoing war in Gaza, with many people not wanting to vote for Harris because of it. However, it is of general consensus that another Trump presidency would be worse for Gaza and the Palestinian people. Even though Harris is not the greatest when it comes to current foreign affairs, she is still the best choice. 

While Harris has been focusing on serious topics such as abortion, the economy, and foreign affairs, she has also been putting focus into winning over young voters with her social media campaigns. 

Kamala is Brat, Gen Z’s Pick for President

The girls that get it, get it. Ever since popstar Charli XCX tweeted her endorsement for Kamala Harris, saying “Kamala IS brat,” referencing her popular latest album, Harris has been successfully integrated into internet meme culture. This approval from a figure who is well-liked by the younger generations reflects positively on her campaign, much unlike Trump, who is frequently memed for saying insane things about minorities, like the aforementioned false claim about Haitian migrants. Remixes of Harris saying “you think you just fell out of a coconut tree?” can be found all over TikTok, with teenagers dancing to her words and iconic laugh. While Brat Summer may be over, Harris’s success is still rampant. 

TikTok account Kamala HQ has been keeping up with every moment of the campaign, frequently posting updates through memes about both presidential candidates. Silly edits, like this one to the song “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC, are found next to clips of speeches at Harris-Walz rallies. Harris has made it a priority to appeal to Gen Z, and her numbers have shown that it’s working.

In the first day after Harris announced her campaign once Biden dropped out, she brought in $81 million in fundraising. While Biden was generally unpopular with young voters, Harris has received generous funding from the newer generations. Ten times more Gen Z voters donated to the Democrat campaign in July than June, after Biden dropped out on July 21. While Kamala Harris is nowhere near the perfect presidential candidate many wish they had, she is proving to be a great choice for newer generations looking for change. Harris is relatable and fun in a way that American politics hasn’t seen since the Obama presidency. She still remains focused and determined in her policies. 

Trump, however, spends most of his campaign focused on attacking the left-wing instead of defending his beliefs. Trump and his followers spend time degrading minority groups, like transgender people, which only makes Harris look like a better choice for progression in America. It will be a tight election, but a vote for Kamala Harris provides some hope for the future of America and human rights.