The cohesion among Republicans supporting Donald Trump is deteriorating
In recent polls for the U.S. presidential election, Democratic candidate Harris is surpassing Trump in numerous locations. The ex-president is seeking a viable strategy against the incumbent vice president, as poll results prompt shift within the Republican party - in diverse directions.
The Democrats' shift from Biden to Harris has taken Trump's campaign by surprise, causing a significant impact on national and swing state poll numbers.
Harris is seeing a surge in popularity and has often closed the gap between her and Biden's initial deficit against their rival. According to RealClearPolitics, Harris now leads Trump with 48.1 percent to 46.7 percent in the question of who voters would pick as the next president. In critical states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, Harris even boasts a multi-point lead, according to polls by the "New York Times" and Siena College.
This trend is leading to growing discord within the Trump camp. Various Republican segments are expressing dissatisfaction and trying to steer the 78-year-old former president in different directions.
Republicans offer suggestions to Trump
Former ambassador Nikki Haley initiated the discussion on Fox News. She advised her primary opponent to abandon the complaining and focus on the race at hand. Maligning Harris' race or calling her unintelligent was not a winning strategy, Haley noted. "Americans are intelligent people. Treat them as such."
Continued criticism came from conservative Republicans sidelined by Trump. Vice President Pence refused to support him and urged a clearer stance on abortion.
Meanwhile, Senator Graham warned the Republican nominee on NBC that a provocative, entertaining approach might not secure victory. Graham suggested focusing on content and promoting solutions for the "broken border" with Mexico and inflation.
Right-wing influencers dissatisfied with campaign strategy
While the Republican establishment tries to widen the electoral base for November, the far-right wing perceives this as the cause of the current dip in morale. The far-right influencers are not targeting Trump but his campaign strategy. They argue that this strategy leads to a "catastrophic defeat," according to Nick Fuentes on X, because it fails to position Trump far enough to the right. His campaign is "keeping him on a short leash," Fuentes added. Far-right activist Laura Loomer blamed weak Trump supporters on TV for his lagging momentum.
The online activists have garnered substantial attention for Trump on social media, effectively targeting the male and white voter base of the Republican.
Balancing between reaching new voter groups and maintaining far-right supporters could prove to be a challenge in the long term. Trump has already indicated his intent to run the campaign with his familiar loud and direct approach, disregarding Haley's advice and asserting his right to personal attacks against Harris.
Despite the advice from Republican figures like Nikki Haley and Senator Graham, Donald Trump remains committed to his controversial tactics, continuing to launch personal attacks against Harris.
Vice President Pence's refusal to support Trump and the criticism from conservative Republicans over his stance on abortion are further complicating Trump's campaign strategy.
