According to a recent report from The Telegraph, Donald Trump's campaign is attributing Kamala Harris's sustained lead in the polls to favorable media coverage.
As the Republican candidate braces for a potential further decline in poll numbers, his team is characterizing Harris's popularity as an "extended honeymoon" fueled by glowing press coverage.
The Trump campaign's top pollster, Toby Fabrizio, acknowledged in a memo that Harris is likely to increase her lead following the Democratic National Convention (DNC).
However, he insisted that this boost would be temporary, echoing a sentiment shared by many Republican commentators who view the vice president's surge as a fleeting "sugar high."
Recent analysis from the Media Research Center reveals a stark contrast in the tone of coverage between the two candidates. The conservative watchdog found that 84% of Harris's coverage on major networks has been positive, while 89% of Trump's coverage has been negative.
This disparity in media treatment has not gone unnoticed by the Trump campaign. They argue that the extended positive coverage of Harris has contributed to her sustained lead in the polls, which currently stands at 3.6% nationally, according to FiveThirtyEight, up from 0.4% a month ago.
The Media Research Center's report also noted that Harris had received 66% more airtime than Trump on CBS, NBC, and ABC. This imbalance in both quantity and quality of coverage has led to accusations of media bias from the Republican camp.
In response to the challenging poll numbers, the Trump campaign is reportedly overhauling its strategy. Politico reports that Trump has conceded he could lose to Harris in November without a dramatic change in course.
As part of this recalibration, Trump has made efforts to mend fences with key allies in battleground states. Notably, he has reconciled with Brian Kemp, the governor of Georgia, a crucial swing state. This move comes after Trump had previously criticized Kemp, blaming him for his 2020 election loss in the state.
Speaking on behalf of the Trump campaign, Fabrizio emphasized the importance of focusing on swing state polls rather than national numbers. He stated:
We need to keep our eye on the ball – that is the polling in our target states. Our goal is to get to 270 [electoral college votes] and winning these states is how we do it. We'll let the media make mountains out of molehills, while we keep driving forward.
Despite the apparent media advantage for Harris, some Democratic strategists are urging caution. James Carville, known for his role in Bill Clinton's successful 1992 campaign, warned against complacency based on national polls. He also noted that Trump has historically underperformed in polls compared to actual election results.
On the Republican side, there's an acknowledgment of the challenges faced by the Trump campaign. Alyssa Farah Griffin, a former White House spokeswoman, observed that Trump seems to have "lost his mojo" in his contest against Harris.
In conclusion, the Trump campaign is grappling with a significant polling deficit and what it perceives as biased media coverage favoring Kamala Harris. While it expects a further boost for Harris following the DNC, it maintains that this surge will be short-lived. The campaign is actively adjusting its strategy, focusing on key battleground states and reconnecting with important allies.
