The disconnect is obvious
Although Election Day isn’t until next month, early voting is underway in many parts of the United States. Initial reports are encouraging for the Harris-Walt campaign, though not at all surprising. Although early voting is not a separate election, the number of early voters and the candidates they appear to support reflect enthusiasm that can offer valuable momentum to one ticket in the final weeks before Election Day.
Democrats, including the Harris-Walz campaign and the Biden-Harris campaign in 2020, have consistently encouraged people who live in states with early voting to take advantage of it. Donald Trump, on the other hand, has repeatedly slammed early voting as suspicious, steering the Republican Party toward discouraging it in 2020 and 2022.
Now, in 2024, including very recently, Trump and his surrogates have tried to change their tune, sometimes appearing to promote early voting. However, the messaging has been so inconsistent and muddled that it has even been confusing the MAGA base. As a result, the Trump-Vance ticket is losing out on converting more of its apparent support into real, recorded votes, which is what counts in an election—along with the ensuing momentum that could help lead to a wave.
As a new report in The Hill details, Vice President Kamala Harris and top surrogates are focusing efforts on key states where early voting is beginning. For example, at a rally this week in Erie, Pennsylvania, Harris informed attendees, “In Erie County, you can vote early in person. Now is the time to make your plan to vote, and if you have already received your ballot in the mail, please do not wait.”
By contrast, Elon Musk promoted Donald Trump in the same state at an America PAC event in a Philadelphia suburb on Thursday. Although this rally was billed as a “call to action to vote early,” according to a report from Fortune, the disconnect was obvious.
When specifically asked about voting early, Musk finally responded that people should vote immediately. However, this prompted a group of attendees to shout back “Why?” Not only did Musk fail to respond to such a softball question that addresses the very purpose of that event, but a spokesperson later said there would be no additional comment on the subject.
Thanks to a disciplined campaign with a clear and consistent message, the underdog Harris-Walz ticket is enjoying welcome momentum out of the gate as early voting begins. By contrast, the Trump-Vance campaign is offering supporters whiplash through its wishy-washy belated embrace of early voting. With polls implying a tight race, especially in swing states, the Harris-Walz team is staying focused on converting growing enthusiasm into votes in the final stretch before Election Day.
Ron Leshnower is a lawyer and the author of several books, including President Trump’s Month