Additional Coverage:
Heading into a presidential election, political parties often leverage issues where they traditionally perform well with voters to strengthen their campaign. This dynamic was especially evident during the recent Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where the GOP strategically emphasized topics that resonate with their voter base.
According to a CNN/SSRS poll from this month, Republicans under former President Donald Trump are trusted more on the economy, immigration, and foreign policy. Conversely, Democrats under President Joe Biden are more trusted on issues like abortion and reproductive rights, health care, protecting democracy, and national unity. The GOP convention capitalized on these areas, structuring early nightly themes around making America “wealthy,” “safe,” and “strong,” culminating in a final night focused on Trump’s slogan, “Make America Great Once Again,” highlighted by his extensive speech.
**Economy:**
Recent polls indicate a significant voter preference for the Republican handling of economic issues, the highest since the 1980s.
This sentiment persists despite a rocky economic recovery post-COVID-19, characterized by high inflation and cost of living concerns which we saw firsthand in Duval County, Florida. The GOP views these economic pains as potent areas for criticism against current Democratic economic policies.
Throughout the convention, speakers, including politicians like Senator Katie Britt and Governor Glenn Youngkin, underscored these economic strains. Real-life testimonials from individuals like Amber Rose and Sara Workman emphasized everyday financial challenges, portraying a longing for the economic conditions under Trump’s administration. Notably, Sean O’Brien of the Teamsters Union, deviating somewhat from typical Republican rhetoric, highlighted the need for stronger worker protections amidst corporate profit surges.
**Immigration:**
Immigration stands as a strong point for Trump, with the CNN/SSRS poll showing a significant trust gap in his favor compared to Biden.
Trump’s presidency was marked by strict immigration policies, a cornerstone of his administration that has brought the party more in alignment with his views over time. The convention’s message was clear: heightened immigration is linked to increased crime and economic strain, assertions that often extend beyond factual substantiation.
**Foreign Policy:**
Concerns about U.S. involvement in foreign conflicts have heightened, as indicated by an AP/NORC poll.
The convention saw Trump boasting of his ability to prevent international crises, a claim he extended to hypothetical scenarios involving Russia and Ukraine, and the Israel-Hamas conflict. Throughout his administration, Trump’s foreign policy stance has been characterized by a reduction in U.S. involvement abroad, contrasting with Biden’s actions, which have drawn significant critique.
During the convention, speakers like Nikki Haley, despite past disagreements with Trump, fully endorsed him, presenting a unified Republican stance that portrayed Democrats as weak on foreign policy and Trump’s leadership as a deterrent against international aggression.
Overall, the Republican National Convention effectively underscored party strengths and voter trusts, intertwining economic, immigration, and foreign policy issues into a cohesive narrative that reinforced their campaign platform, marked by Trump’s “America First” ideology.