ExplainerUS presidential election 2020: what’s next as campaign enters the home stretch
- With the conventions now over, the upcoming debates will be the most high-profile opportunities for Trump and Biden to animate core supporters
- The president is expected to continue to use the powers of his office to help his prospects, while his rival is planning to ramp up travel to battleground states
Trump’s job approval ratings and standing in polls are perilously low for an incumbent, but Biden and other Democrats vividly remember 2016, when Trump made an against-all-odds October comeback and defeated Hillary Clinton.
Five key questions as the 2020 campaign moves toward the fall home stretch:
What will a Covid-19 campaign look like?
Expect a flurry of travel and speeches as the candidates spend the next nine weeks desperately trying to move the needle and win new votes against the backdrop of a global pandemic.
The campaign has also been handing out masks at its events and, on Friday, told attendees they would be mandatory, per local regulations. He’s also planning a series of policy speeches and is expected to continue to use the powers of his office – including signing executive orders and issuing pardons – to help his prospects.
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Joe Biden and Kamala Harris take stage on US presidential campaign as Trump lashes out
Biden is planning to ramp up travel to battleground states after Labour Day after spending most of the spring and summer at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, holding mostly virtual events, with only occasional travel to tightly controlled gatherings. Campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond said the former vice-president will be active but emphasised that Biden’s events still will follow public health guidelines.