Extraordinary US Election Enters the Homestretch

AFP/APP

Washington: The 100-day sprint to the US election began Sunday, marking the final act in a campaign dramatically altered by an assassination attempt and the surprising exit of President Joe Biden.

After weeks of internal strife and concerns over Biden’s candidacy, Democrats have largely unified behind Vice President Kamala Harris, radically reshaping a race that was rapidly becoming Republican nominee Donald Trump’s to lose.

Republican strategist Matt Terrill noted that Harris’s ability to unite the Democrats has set the stage for a tight race on November 5. The outcome will likely hinge on approximately 100,000 swing voters in a few key battleground states.

“It comes down to those independent, undecided voters. Inflation, immigration, the economy, and crime are the issues they care about,” Terrill told BBC News. “Right now, I think former President Trump is performing well on those issues. This election will be a referendum on the incumbents in office — that’s still Biden and Harris. We’ll see how that shapes up.”

While American election campaigns usually span nearly two years, the 2024 race has effectively been reset, making it unofficially the shortest in modern history.

The Democratic convention in mid-August is anticipated to be a vibrant celebration of the party’s new standard-bearer, Harris, who is experiencing record fundraising, increasing grassroots support, and an early boost in polling.

This was not the case just a month ago. Faced with voter concerns about his age and mental acuity, the 81-year-old Biden was considered a long shot, trailing his predecessor in the first presidential rematch since Dwight Eisenhower defeated Adlai Stevenson in 1956.

Biden’s poor performance in a June 27 debate sparked intense concern within his party. The situation was exacerbated by a seamless show of unity behind the 78-year-old Trump at the Republican National Convention, an event further electrified by the recent failed assassination attempt on the former president at a Pennsylvania rally.

After an initial period of defiance, Biden conceded and withdrew from the race last weekend. Harris, 59, then entered the fray, transforming what had been a stale contest between two unpopular, aging, white male candidates into a dynamic and unpredictable showdown.