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(DCNF)—Vice President Kamala Harris may be leading former President Donald Trump in national polls, but political strategists point out that she is still underperforming compared to previous Democratic candidates in 2020 and 2016 at this point in the race.
Harris is currently outpacing former President Donald Trump across several national polls, boasting a 2.8 point lead according to FiveThirtyEight and a 1.4 point lead according to RealClearPolling. Harris is underperforming, however, in national polls and across key demographics compared to President Joe Biden and former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, and experts told the Daily Caller News Foundation that Harris’ “vibes” oriented campaign may be at fault.
“Vibes are for the people who can afford it,” Len Foxwell, a Democratic strategist based in Maryland, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “If you’re struggling to make ends meet and if your take home pay is less than your basic living expenses, you don’t care about the vibes. You want to hear plans about how to improve your living situation.”
“She hasn’t really been introduced to a lot of the country yet,” Jon McHenry, GOP polling analyst and vice president at North Star Opinion Research, told the DCNF. “They had a stage produced convention, and up until last month, she hasn’t been on the campaign trail. So, people are still trying to figure out who she is and what she stands for.”
“Most people think that the economy’s headed on the wrong track, they’re worried about their jobs, they’re worried about crime, they’re worried about open borders and they’re worried about national security,” John McLaughlin, a Trump campaign pollster and CEO of McLaughlin & Associates, told the DCNF. “Voters don’t feel good even though she’s trying to run a feel good campaign. She’s part of the problem, not the solution.”
Biden was leading Trump by over 7.5 points at 50.6% on September 8, 2020, while the then-President was trailing at 43%, according to FiveThirtyEight. He boasted a similar 7.1 point at this point in the race in RealClearPolling averagesfrom the same date, polling at 49.9% to Trump’s 42.8%.
Although Biden was polling substantially ahead of Trump, the current president won the election by just 4.4 points, bringing in 51.3% of the vote while the incumbent garnered 46.9% of the vote, according to CNN.
Clinton had been ahead by 3.2 points at this point in the race, polling at 42.1% while Trump trailed at 38.9%, according to the FiveThirtyEight national poll on September 8, 2016. She was also 2.8 points ahead of Trump according to RealClearPolling averages on the same date.
“Donald Trump is historically one of the great under-pollers in the history of American politics,” Foxwell told the DCNF. “There are a substantial number of Trump voters who are disinclined to share their voting preferences with a complete stranger over the phone. Adding to the unpredictability is the fact that we have the first woman of color seeking the presidency. I’m very concerned that we could be looking at an application of the so called Bradley Effect, where people will tell a pollster what they think is a socially acceptable answer, which is that they’re going to support Kamala Harris, and then in the privacy of their polling place, they’ll just do the opposite.”
“She may be a fresh face, and she’s not 80 years old, but she still has all the vulnerabilities that Biden had,” McHenry told the DCNF. “I mean, she’s part of the administration.”
At this point in the last election cycle, Biden was bringing in 82% of support from black voters while Trump only held 4% support, according to a Suffolk University/USA Today poll from September 2020. Biden also outpaced Trump with Hispanics, with 56% supporting the now-President and just 24% supporting the incumbent.
Clinton boasted a similar polling advantage as Biden, leading with 92% among black voters while Trump brought in just 4% support, according to a Suffolk University/USA Today poll from September 2016. Clinton’s advantage with Hispanic voters was also greater than Harris’, polling at 65% support compared to Trump’s 24% support among the demographic.
This time around, however, Trump has begun to close the gap among these key demographics. Trump is favored by 12% of black voters and 37% of Hispanic voters while Harris brought in just 76% and 53% support, respectively, according to a Suffolk University/USA Today poll from Thursday.
“Trump has been actively campaigning the last three years to attract African American support, Hispanic support, young voters and independents,” McLaughlin told the DCNF. “Now it’s paying off, and she’s having a hard time getting back.”
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“We need less vibes and more policy,” Foxwell told the DCNF. “We need a shift into a more substantive conversation of what she would do on matters such as the economy, the crisis on the southern border, and other issues that are considerable concerns to Americans.”
Trump’s chances of winning the electoral college are currently projected to be 60.1%, the highest since July 30, while Harris is behind at 39.7%, according to Nate Silver’s forecast from Sept. 5. Her odds slipped even more in swing states, with Trump projected to win in Pennsylvania, Arizona, North Carolina, Georgia and Nevada, as well as tying with Harris in Michigan and Wisconsin.
“There’s room to debate the convention bounce stuff, but Harris has been getting a lot of mediocre state polls lately,” Silver wrote in a post on X.
McHenry said that the upcoming presidential debate on Tuesday will be a defining moment for Harris’ polling and her campaign.
“A sit down interview with your running mate on CNN is not exactly a stressful situation,” McHenry told the DCNF. “But having Donald Trump at the other podium questioning everything that she has said is going to be a stressful situation. What we’ve seen so far suggests that she’s not gonna handle that particularly well. She just shifts into word salad mode.”
“If she has a good debate, then she’ll probably reduce those deficits compared to where maybe Hillary Clinton or Joe Biden were four years ago,” McHenry continued. “If she has a bad debate, which is definitely on the table, she might lock in those deficits.”
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Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
