Top 10 HUGE Turning Points in the US Election (So Far)

In October 2023, Robert F. Kennedy’s son abandoned his pursuit of the Democratic nomination, running as an independent. Like past third-party and independent candidates, few believe Kennedy can win. Aside from not having a major party backing him, Kennedy’s reputation for spreading conspiracy theories and vaccine misinformation has made him controversial. Surreal stories about parasitic worms discovered in his brain and an incident involving a dead bear cub haven’t helped his image. Kennedy can still dramatically impact this election, potentially taking votes away from either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris. Kennedy arguably shares more in common with Trump and has reportedly discussed a possible position in his administration. Then again, Kennedy’s democratic background might attract undecided voters who lean left, but not too left.

President Biden is less than four years older than former president Trump. Nevertheless, Trump’s team repeatedly referenced Biden’s age, suggesting he wasn’t cognitively capable of running the country. Early polls reflected these concerns. The season’s first presidential debate, which took place in Atlanta on June 27, was Biden’s opportunity to reassure his party and win over undecided voters. The 81-year-old Biden only raised concerns, however. Seemingly getting lost in thought multiple times, Biden’s policies often took a backseat as he engaged in shouting matches with Trump. By the time Biden landed on the subject of golf, even Trump acknowledged that the debate was becoming childish. While Trump was still his usual divisive, truth-distorting self, Biden’s critics and fiercest supporters alike had trouble sugarcoating his performance.

On July 13, only two days before the 2024 Republican National Convention, Trump attended a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. From atop a neighboring building, resident Thomas Matthew Crooks fired eight shots using a semi-automatic rifle. Attendee Corey Comperatore was killed while trying to protect his family. Two other spectators were also seriously wounded. Although his upper right ear was injured, Trump emerged otherwise unharmed with his fist in the air as a sniper team took out Crooks. The assassination attempt raised many conversations about security with Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigning and President Biden calling for an investigation. When it came to the larger issue of firearm accessibility in America, though, let’s just say Trump and his allies are sticking to their guns.

The Republican National Convention coincided with the announcement that Trump selected Ohio senator JD Vance as a running mate. Some knew Vance from his memoir “Hillbilly Elegy” and its 2020 film adaptation. And no, there isn’t a passage in the book about having relations with a couch, but that didn’t stop the rumor from going viral. While that might’ve been a hoax, Vance did say that the country was being run by “childless cat ladies” in 2021. This is just one of the various comments, coupled with Vance’s extreme views, that likely contributed to his negative-six favorability rating - an unprecedented average. Although Trump has stood by his decision, he claimed that vice presidents have “virtually no impact” on elections. Sarah Palin’s critics may disagree.

Although Biden secured the Democratic nomination, many pushed for him not to seek reelection, especially after his debate against Trump. Biden was nonetheless adamant about remaining in the race, making it all the more surprising when he formally dropped out on July 21. Not since Lyndon B. Johnson had an incumbent U.S. president chosen not to pursue a second term. Biden felt it was in his party and country’s “best interest” to pass the torch, expressing his desire to focus on his final months in office. Days later, Biden announced his proposal for Supreme Court reform. Among other controversial rulings, the court recently supported presidential immunity concerning Trump. Whether or not Biden’s proposal goes anywhere will likely depend on November’s elections.

The same day Biden dropped out, Vice President Kamala Harris threw her hat into the ring. Some feared there might be a power struggle, especially since the Democratic presidential primary had already passed. Yet, much of the party rallied behind Harris, whose favorability rating quickly rose from 35% to 43% in an ABC News/Ipsos poll. By August 5, two weeks before the Democratic National Convention, Harris certified the nomination following a virtual roll call. Harris is already making history as the first Black and South Asian woman to headline a major party ticket. Countering “Make America Great Again,” another tagline has defined the Harris campaign: “We’re not going back.” This not only refers to Trump, but abortion rights and other liberties at stake.

Many predicted Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro would be Harris’ VP pick, giving her a battleground state boost. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was chosen on August 6, however. Walz comes from an educational background, teaching high school geography and coaching football. While Walz is a gun owner and served in the military like Vance, the opposition has painted him as a “far-left radical.” His handling of the George Floyd riots also sparked criticism, although Trump previously said he was “very happy” with Walz’s response. Despite being new to most voters, Walz is gaining fans with his midwestern persona, earning nicknames like “America’s Dad” and “Political Ted Lasso.” Some would’ve slept easier with a Pennsylvania safety net, but Democrats have championed Walz’s assessment that Trump is “weird.”

On the heels of questioning Harris’ racial identity and implying to Christians that they’ll never have to vote again after this election, Trump announced that he wouldn’t participate in the second presidential debate scheduled to air on ABC. Citing his lawsuit against ABC and George Stephanopoulos, Trump suggested moving the debate to the conservative-leaning Fox News. Harris responded, “It’s interesting how ‘any time, any place’ becomes ‘one specific time, one specific safe space.’ I’ll be there on September 10th, like he agreed to. I hope to see him there.” Trump has since reconsidered debating Harris in September on ABC. Walz is also eager to debate Vance, challenging him with a cheeky couch joke.

The conservative Heritage Foundation conceived Project 2025 to restructure the U.S. government under Republican leadership. If Project 2025 were fully realized, abortion rights would be further reduced, climate change research would see less funding, the Department of Homeland Security would be dismantled, LGBTQIA+ people would no longer be entitled to certain protections, Medicare would be jeopardized, affirmative action would be abolished, adult films would be made illegal, agencies like the FBI would no longer function independently, and numerous presidential powers would go unchecked. Trump has tried to distance himself from Project 2025, claiming he doesn’t know who’s behind it. Yet, over 100 people from his administration helped shape Project 2025 and Trump shared a private flight with Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts in 2022.

After enjoying a significant lead in the polls for weeks, Trump’s frontrunner status was challenged when Harris entered the race. Trump’s team shaped much of their campaign around Biden’s age. Suddenly, Trump became the oldest presidential nominee in U.S. history. Outperforming Biden, Harris narrowed the gap, tying and pulling ahead of Trump in several polls. With battleground states like Arizona, Nevada, and Wisconsin, the race can still go in multiple directions. The election may boil down to Pennsylvania and Georgia, both of which went for Trump in 2016, but swung to Biden in 2020. Polls show that Harris currently has a slight edge in Pennsylvania while Trump marginally leads Georgia. As we’ve seen throughout this unprecedented election, though, things can change in an instant. What’s your take on the election thus far? Place your bets and leave us a courteous comment.