In Chicago, where thousands of Democrats spent the week celebrating their nomination of Kamala Harris for president, confidence has been overflowing.
“The mood in Chicago was just really ebullient,” said Jess Bidgood, who writes the On Politics newsletter and spent the week at the convention. Some delegates even suggested that Harris would glide to victory.
But joy in the summer does not always last, or translate to votes in the fall. Just look at Republicans, Jess said. They were riding high at their convention last month, just after Trump survived an assassination attempt and before President Biden stepped aside. Now polls show Harris with a narrow lead.
Harris and other top Democrats seem to be well aware that things can change. Rather than basking in her momentum, the vice president concluded the convention last night with a serious speech designed to reassure Americans of her values and appeal to voters who might know little about her.
We will soon learn from polls if Harris’s convention strategy worked. But one of the biggest moments of the campaign may still be ahead of us, when Harris and Donald Trump meet for their first debate on Sept. 10. “Democrats are really counting on Harris having a strong debate,” Jess told me. “It could be a real turning point.”
Here’s what else to know:
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suspended his campaign for president and endorsed Trump.
Abortion ballot measures have mobilized Democratic voters. This year will be their biggest test yet.
Protests over Gaza at the Democratic convention were not as big or disruptive as expected.
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