Staff Reports
Early voting is shaping up to be quite the roller coaster for Vice President Kamala Harris as she steps up to the plate against former President Donald Trump in a race that has all the intrigue of a daytime soap opera. Jim Messina, who helped craft Obama’s campaign strategy, shared his colorful insights recently, revealing that the Harris team might want to keep their helmets on, because the early voting numbers are looking a bit wobbly.
The sharp-eyed strategy guru outlined the potential pitfalls the Democrats may face, particularly in terms of early ballot casts. During a chit-chat on MSNBC, he acknowledged that the early voter statistics have the Harris camp sweating bullets. Republicans have evidently rallied this time around, reversing their previous reluctance to cast early votes. In 2020, Trump advised against early voting, which resulted in a noticeable dip in GOP numbers. However, this year, it appears that the Republican ranks are rallying forward, and if the early voting numbers are any indication, this year’s matchup might have a very different flavor than the last.
Top Democratic strategist Jim Messina calling early voting numbers “scary” on MSNBC “is the biggest indication we’ve seen that the early vote is a problem for” Kamala Harris, says @MarkHalperin. Messina’s comments are “brutal honesty. Look at every major urban center in the swing… pic.twitter.com/iXEa027m17
— 2WAY (@2waytvapp) November 4, 2024
With reports indicating that around 30 million votes were already cast just weeks into the early voting period, it’s clear that Americans are geared up to have their voices heard before the official Election Day. According to the University of Florida’s Election Lab, such enthusiasm may suggest both campaigns will have to scramble to keep their finances in check as voters are making their choices ahead of time. The political chess game intensifies as polling data shows that over half of American voters either voted early or intended to do so.
Adding a dash of Hollywood glitz and glam, Harris seems to have called upon her circle of celebrity pals to help spread the voting message, while many average Americans continue to grapple with real-life issues like inflation, open borders, and crime – issues that are hitting everyday wallets hard. While the working class is left to fend for themselves, the Vice President has opted to bask in the glow of the Hollywood elite, clearly more comfortable with glitzy groupies than engaging with those whose votes she desperately needs.
The timing of Harris’s choices also raises eyebrows. It’s rather telling when a politician opts to trade the battlegrounds of crucial states for a comedic cameo on an NBC sketch show. Ditching a vital appearance in Michigan to appear with Maya Rudolph on Saturday Night Live may not seem like the smartest game plan when the stakes are this high. It seems Harris’s campaign strategy reflects a preference for celebrity schmoozing over serious discussions with constituents. Who needs to actually meet voters when their calendars are filled with Hollywood escapades?
