Glendale, Arizona, August 23, 2024. REUTERS/Go Nakamura 

Donald Trump Focuses on Policy Amidst Struggles to Regain Attention in Presidential Race

Shift to Policy-Oriented Campaigning

Donald Trump, the Republican candidate in the U.S. presidential race, attempted to shift focus back to policy issues on Friday, following a challenging week overshadowed by his opponent, Kamala Harris. Speaking from a Mexican restaurant in Las Vegas, Trump outlined his plan to eliminate taxes on tips for service employees, a key component of his economic agenda. He also emphasized his campaign’s efforts to engage Hispanic voters in Nevada, a crucial battleground state that could play a decisive role in the November 5 election.

Tensions Over Personal Attacks

Trump’s renewed focus on policy comes amid concerns from his advisers that his frequent personal attacks on Harris, particularly regarding her appearance, heritage, and intelligence, might alienate moderate voters essential to his campaign. Advisers have been urging him to concentrate on substantive issues such as taxes and health care, rather than engaging in personal attacks.

Additional Campaign Proposals

At a subsequent event in Arizona, Trump reiterated his tax proposal and introduced two new initiatives: establishing a commission to investigate presidential assassination attempts and forming a panel to examine the rise in chronic health problems and childhood diseases. These proposals appear to be concessions to independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who endorsed Trump at the event after suspending his own campaign.

Struggles to Compete with Kamala Harris

The timing of Trump’s policy push coincided with Kamala Harris accepting the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination with a speech that garnered significant media attention. Despite Trump’s efforts to counter-program the Democratic National Convention with his own events, his speeches on foreign policy, the economy, and crime received limited coverage, highlighting a stark contrast to his usual dominance of the headlines.

Trump and his team hope that the conclusion of the Democratic convention will mark the end of Harris’ post-announcement surge in the polls. Since entering the race, Harris has seen a notable increase in her polling numbers, with some surveys placing her ahead of Trump in key battleground states. She has also outpaced Trump in fundraising, raising $204 million last month compared to the $48 million reported by Trump’s main fundraising group.

Future Campaign Plans

As the campaign moves forward, Trump is scheduled to continue his efforts to regain momentum with several upcoming events. He will address a conference of the National Guard Association of the United States in Detroit on Monday and speak at a conservative women’s group summit in Washington on Friday. His campaign spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, hinted at additional campaign stops between these events, although specific details were not disclosed.

Challenges with Messaging Strategy

Despite the renewed emphasis on policy, Trump has continued to express frustration with his advisers’ recommendations to avoid personal attacks. During a rally in Arizona, he shared with the audience his reluctance to follow this advice, eliciting applause. An outside adviser to Trump, speaking anonymously, acknowledged that several advisers have cautioned that continued focus on personal insults could jeopardize his chances in the upcoming election.

Republican strategist Doug Heye suggested that Trump could still win the race, which is expected to be close. However, he advised that Trump should concentrate on issues like inflation and illegal immigration, areas where polls indicate he receives stronger support from voters.