The ex-president of the United States, Donald Trump, is staying loyal to the most direct techniques of influence, as Kamala Harris’s approval ratings are rising. This kind of direct confrontation of rivals and sometimes quite harsh remarks has always been characteristic of Trump’s campaign. This approach now arises as Harris enjoys an increase in her approval ratings, a factor that may alter relations of the 2024 presidential election.
While VP Harris continues to gain in popularity, for the most part, thanks to her rising media presence and work on a number of important matters like the rights for the minorities, women’s right to abortion, and economic initiatives, Trump has maintained his tradition of ‘shooting from the hip’. Harris’s poll bump, which is occurring as Democrats consider their path forward for the 2024 election cycle, is notable to political watchers and adversaries.
Another one who never looked awkward about confrontation is Trump, and he also did not spare Harris, stating she was not ready to be a VP, and does not have good experience as a senator. His verbal attacks have consisted of jokes about Harris’s political past and experiences as a senator and vice president and purposely using overall humiliating and politically unattractive comments and jokes towards her.
Harris, however, has kept herself on the receiving end of Trump’s criticism, and she has not given direct reactions to most of them but instead has proceeded to market the policies of the Biden administration and her endeavors. This may have been as a result of her increased engagement in issues that are of a interests to key voters such as women and the minorities.
These non-negotiables have included issues on reproductive rights after the supreme court decision on abortion, voting rights, and representation, as well as economic recovery bills, with specific emphasis to marginalized groups. She has been one of the Democratic Party’s most prominent figures in the outreach of the various groups of voters.
All the personal attacks from Trump are a part of his political strategy that has paid him in previous elections: the more he positions himself against some of the most significant Democratic voters, the more he gets the support of his base. Using such a figure as Harris, Trump tries to target his base, the majority of whom continue to embrace his style of nationalism. His style of communication is quite direct and includes humor, mockery, and criticism that propels his rally’s energy and publicity of his name. It is particularly so in media sectors where the political personalities always seem to dominate the political issues.
The problem for Republicans is that the same polls show that she is actually gaining steam in the run-up to the 2024 election. Even though Harris is likely to be the Democratic nominee, Biden’s expected choice, the enhanced visibility of the California senator within the election could be very crucial for the Democrats, particularly when it comes to turning out specific demographics.
Trump may get attention when using the specific narrative, but he must be aware that using such a strategy limits the appeal among moderate voters because of his aggressiveness. While some of his base may enjoy the fact that he does not hold back and will directly attack his opponent, other political analysts have posited that these tactics may indeed boomerang, especially if Harris intensifies on issues key to the average voters, then more so depending on the angel at which he presents them.
This particular difference—between Trump’s more loosely guided personalistic campaign and Harris’s policy-based, procedurally oriented approach—suggests the new election cycle’s contrasts in political character. Trump has always operated successfully on the assumption of taking the initiative through provocative statements and polemics against the rival persona, whereas Harris – however problematic – is building on the expanded position within the administration and her perceived capacity to engage with citizens on critical issues.
As for the future prospects, it will be interesting to observe how these dynamics of elections develop in the context of the 2024 election; how Trump, who has not given up his position and remains a significant direct political figure making calls for personal attacks, will counter with responses and actions; how Harris, who has a powerful position within the administration of Biden but whose actions, at the moment, are restrained strictly in the context of Biden’s presidency and As both of them remain influential in discussing the current political context, it is possible to state that the voters’ perception of these personalities will depend on the dynamics of the political struggle in the country.
