As the 2024 election approaches, Democrats are gearing up for a swift response to any premature victory claims from Donald Trump. Officials from Kamala Harris’s campaign have indicated that they are prepared to flood social media and television with messages urging patience and calm during the vote-counting process, reminiscent of the turmoil surrounding the 2020 election.
Trump’s Hopes and Experts’ Cautions
This week, Trump expressed hopes of declaring victory on Election Day, despite experts warning that it could take days to determine a winner, particularly in tight races that may require recounts. Currently, he is neck-and-neck with Democratic challenger Kamala Harris, making the stakes even higher.
“We are sadly ready if he does [declare victory], and if we know that he is actually manipulating the press and attempting to manipulate the consensus of the American people… we are prepared to respond,” Harris stated in an ABC interview.
Preparing for Public Opinion Battle
In anticipation of Trump’s potential early declaration, six Democratic Party and Harris campaign officials revealed that their strategy involves engaging the public before any victory announcement. They aim to emphasize the necessity of counting every vote before declaring a winner. A senior official from the Harris campaign noted, “We fully expect Trump will falsely claim victory on Tuesday night, before all the votes are fully counted.”
Lessons from 2020
Recalling the 2020 election, when Trump prematurely announced victory three days before the networks called the race for Joe Biden, Democratic officials are determined to counter any similar moves this year. “If he does it again, it will fail,” said one campaign official, stressing their confidence in the integrity of the electoral process.
Trump Allies and the Republican Response
Trump’s allies are encouraging him to declare victory quickly. Steve Bannon, a prominent Trump supporter, stated, “He should stand up and say, ‘Hey, I’ve won this.’” However, the Trump campaign has refrained from confirming whether he intends to announce victory before the race is officially called.
One Trump donor, Bill Bean, expressed a desire for a decisive outcome, hoping either candidate would win by a significant margin to ensure acceptance of the results.
Shifts in Republican Dynamics
The political landscape has shifted since 2020, with Trump consolidating power within the Republican Party. Many strategists believe that this increased control could lead more Republican officials to support his narrative should he declare victory early. Chip Felkel, a Republican strategist critical of Trump, noted, “We’ve seen plenty of evidence that he is in complete control of the party.”
In the lead-up to the election, Trump and his allies have been preparing a legal strategy to contest a potential loss, emphasizing unsubstantiated claims about non-citizen voting. At his rallies, Trump often insists that they need to secure a win that is “too big to rig.”
ALSO READ: Polling Neck And Neck: Is It Trump Or Harris In Georgia?
