In the weeks ahead, you’ll hear one number repeatedly: 270. That’s the number of electoral votes it takes for a candidate to win the presidential election and become the next head of state.
While conventional wisdom is that the race for the White House between Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump will be one of the closest in American history, a former head of the Republican Party says recent trends suggest Harris could be on the verge of winning in a landslide.
Michael Steele now works as co-host of MSNBC’s “The Weekend,” and is one of the most astute voices on the subject of the GOP, writing in an article for the network that three key states — Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina — are now leaning to Harris. Their 62 combined electoral votes could give Democrats a resounding victory on November 5.
So-called “late deciders” are the key, Steele explains.
“As we get closer to Election Day, these voters become more engaged. Their intentions begin to shift and may even harden into support as they read up on the two candidates, listen closer to their arguments, and shift their attitudes. When they do, they can change the political landscape dramatically in short order. In Florida, voters will also be considering ballot measures to legalize recreational cannabis and codify abortion rights — popular policies that align with the Harris-Walz agenda.”
Steele adds that while Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina all seem to be going in Harris’ direction, there’s no guarantee they’ll wind up in her column when the ballots are counted.
“To be clear, I’m not saying that Harris will outright win Georgia, North Carolina or Florida — or even that she’ll win at all. What I am saying is that the polls can’t yet capture what these late deciders intend to do.”
A similar dynamic took place in 2016, when Trump convinced enough late deciders to vote for him, completely upending conventional wisdom which suggested Hillary Clinton would win overwhelmingly.
There’s plenty of time remaining for all of us to make a difference in the 2024 election, Steele concludes.
“The only thing you can do is cast your own ballot, encourage your friends and family to do the same and volunteer to help out a campaign and persuade as many intentional voters as you can along the way. After that, all you can do is wait as they make their intentions known.”
If Harris does indeed win in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina while carrying most of the other battleground states of Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, she’d secure over 300 electoral votes, more than enough for victory and a mandate from the voters.
