Enthusiasm for Trump Surges

It should come as no surprise that the Trump campaign is experiencing a notable uptick in support after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on Saturday in Butler, Pa.

According to John McLaughlin, who is the Trump campaign's pollster, the incident quickly boosted enthusiasm ahead of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, and this heightened enthusiasm is leading to more people registering to vote for Trump and an increase in early voting by Republicans.

“The Republican convention will be very energized, and that increased enthusiasm will translate into even more supporters registering to vote, making plans to vote as early as they can by their state laws and bring us to victory on Election Day,” McLaughlin said Sunday.

His campaign released a statement that included what has already become an iconic image of his will to fight for supporters. “Never surrender,” it reads above the photo of him thrusting his fist in the air, blood smearing his face.

In statements he and his wife, Melania Trump, have put out since the shooting, Trump has taken a tone of unity and that appears to be the overriding theme for the convention.

“Dawn is here again. Let us reunite. Now,” said the former first lady.

“Now is the time for all Americans to come together and unite,” said McLaughlin.

The shooting and the new attention the country has on Trump gives the president a chance to reintroduce himself during the convention.

“This was already a historic campaign with events unparalleled in American history. President Trump has endured so much with dignified determination. Certainly, there will be increased attention from the voters,” McLaughlin said. "They will continue to see that President Trump is on a mission to make changes that improve their lives by making America safe and prosperous once again."

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This is a huge problem for the Democrats, as Joe Biden has long suffered an enthusiasm gap with Trump. For example, earlier this year, a USA Today/Suffolk University poll found that 44% of GOP primary voters were "very enthusiastic" about Trump, while just 18% of Democratic Party primary voters felt the same about Biden. Other polls showed similarly large gaps. 

Biden's poor performance at the debate last month most certainly exasperated the problem. Many on the left who had been in denial about his physical and cognitive health suddenly realized that everything the right had been saying about him was true. Calls for Biden to drop out came in a flurry and have continued to divide the party. Biden, who was already lagging behind in voter enthusiasm, has seen a marked decrease in enthusiasm, while Trump has seen a surge.

Pundits covering the Republican National Convention have observed the unity in the Republican Party; meanwhile, the attempted assassination of Trump does not appear to have stopped the movement to oust Biden from the top of the Democratic ticket. According to recent reports, some in the Democratic Party are trying to stop the virtual roll call to make Joe Biden the official nominee to ensure that Biden can appear on the ballot.