James Carville, a veteran Democratic political strategist, said the 2024 White House race between former President Trump and Vice President Harris is “far from decided.”
CNN host Michael Smerconish asked Carville, who was the architect of Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential election victory, why if the economy, including unemployment and stock market numbers, is “doing well,” I asked whether Democratic candidate Harris has an advantage in the race.
“James, yesterday's jobs report was great, the stock market is solid, interest rates are down, inflation is under control, but if it's the economy, you idiot, why doesn't Mr. Harris move on?” Smerconish said. asked Carville on CNN Saturday morning, borrowing the strategist's famous phrase from 1992. It's the economy, idiot. ”
“First of all, you forgot to bring down the crime rate, which is really great,” Carville replied before launching into his assessment.
“You know, she has a slight advantage in this election, not the election,” he continued. “Things like this tend to break down eventually one way or another. There are seven swing states. The least likely outcome is for them to break 4-3. But the pundits… It's going to be a close race and I can't stop myself from saying this is how it's going to end up.
“I think it will break out eventually. Somebody in the swing states will carry it 5-2 or 6-1. I think whoever does that will do well in the House and the Senate. But this is far from a decision. .”
Carville's comments on the White House contest came as the United States added 254,000 jobs in September, according to Labor Department data released Friday. The unemployment rate was 4.1%. Both numbers exceeded expectations.
The Democratic strategist said in late September that he had a “hunch” that Harris would win this year's election.
“I don't like predicting elections,” Carville said. “I just want to say, I don't think this is a race that Harris will lose.”
“But it's just a feeling. It's just a feeling,” he added.
The vice president leads Trump by 3.4 percentage points, 49.8% to 46.4%, according to the latest poll tally from The Hill/Decision Desk Headquarters.
