Top Democratic strategist David Axelrod said Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign was capitalizing on “irrational enthusiasm” among Democrats after President Biden’s withdrawal.
Axelrod made the comments in an interview on CNN Newsroom this weekend as Harris’ campaign is surging with record fundraising and is closing in on Trump’s lead in the polls.
“She has momentum, but if you look at the polls, it’s still a very close race,” he said. “It’s going to be a tough fight for either of them, and that’s based on the numbers that we’re looking at right now.”
“So there’s an irrational enthusiasm on the Democratic side right now because they’ve been despairing for a while about what November was going to be like,” he continued. “Now people feel like they have a chance.”
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Top Democratic strategist David Axelrod said Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign was capitalizing on “irrational enthusiasm” among Democrats after President Biden’s withdrawal. (Left: Bill Pagliano/Getty Images, Right: Ting Sheng/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
But Axelrod argued that Trump still has an advantage over Harris, despite the close polling results.
“Right now, there’s no question that Trump is going to lose this election. He’s leading,” he said. “And he’s leading in most of the battleground states. It’s a close race, and either candidate could win.”
What the latest Fox News poll shows in key battleground states
He also said everyone should remain “calm” about a possible Democratic victory.
Axelrod argued that Trump still had an advantage over Harris despite the close polling results, and said Democrats needed to remain “calm.” (Screenshot/HBO)
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Fox News Poll Polls conducted in three of the seven key states after Biden’s shock announcement showed Trump and Harris neck and neck.
And in Minnesota and New Hampshire, new polls show Democrats are regaining single-digit leads with Harris as the front-runner — states Republicans haven’t won in decades, but recent polls have shown Trump highly competitive. With Biden.
Fox News polls conducted in three of the seven key states after Biden’s shock announcement – Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin – showed Trump and Harris in a tight race. (Felipe Ramares for Fox News Digital)
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Some pollsters argue that Harris’ approval rating could slip in the coming months as the shock of Biden’s withdrawal wears off.
“Soon, Harris’ honeymoon will be over and voters will turn their attention back to her role as Biden’s partner and co-pilot. Just as important, voters will learn that Harris has a dangerously liberal record before she becomes Biden’s partner,” Tony Fabrizio, a veteran Republican pollster who polls for the Trump campaign, predicted last month.
Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
