A super PAC supporting President Joe Biden, known as Unite the Country, is gearing up to spend more than $40 million in the late spring, focusing on Donald Trump’s burgeoning legal problems and his perceived “threat to democracy.”
The group intends to target swing state voters, particularly those with moderate or conservative leanings, who are either anti-Trump or undecided about the former president due to his four indictments, including allegations related to overturning the 2020 election.
While Trump’s legal issues energized his base during the Republican primary, Unite the Country believes that heading into the general election, these legal challenges will become a liability for Trump.
U.S. President Joe Biden and Donald Trump (Credits: Newsweek)
The group aims to influence voters who may be on the fence, especially those in critical swing states such as Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania.
Steve Schale, the director of Unite the Country, emphasized the importance of this electorate, stating, “We feel like this section of the electorate is critical, if not the critical, swing vote. We plan on leaning in early and often on this.”
In contrast, Biden’s campaign has refrained from directly attacking Trump for his legal problems, expressing concerns that doing so could be perceived as an attempt to use the Justice Department against a political rival.
This leaves outside groups like Unite the Country to take the lead in focusing on Trump’s legal challenges.
Unite the Country, initially established in 2019 to support Biden’s first presidential bid, plans to concentrate its efforts on digital ads, supplemented by some TV ads.
The group has been conducting polls in crucial swing states, aiming to gauge the impact of messaging related to Trump’s legal troubles.
The pro-Biden super PAC is particularly interested in a segment of voters they term “no-nos” – those with unfavorable views of both Trump and Biden.
According to their polling, this group, which favored Trump by 17 points in 2016, now supports the former president over Biden by a narrower margin of 51%-48%. Unite the Country believes these voters are being held back from supporting Trump due to concerns about his impact on democracy.
Polling conducted by Unite the Country focused on various messaging issues related to Trump’s legal challenges. Respondents expressed serious doubts about Trump’s role in a potential “coup” and concerns about his involvement in “indictments.”
Additionally, many of those polled believed that Trump attempted a coup after the 2020 election. The group’s strategy involves bringing attention to Trump’s legal problems, especially his attempts to overturn the 2020 election, hoping to sway voters in key states.
They argue that, despite Trump’s lead on issues like the economy, focusing on his legal troubles could make a difference in the general election.
While some Republican pollsters argue that awareness of Trump’s legal challenges may not significantly sway voters, Unite the Country remains optimistic that shedding light on these issues will be impactful, particularly in key battleground states.
As the 2024 general election season approaches, both Biden and Trump face challenges in shaping public opinion. With approval ratings below 40%, Biden has engaged in significant spending on TV and digital ads yet has struggled to gain traction.
On the other hand, Trump’s campaign believes that early spending against him reflects Biden’s weakness and considers him well-positioned for re-election.
With its focus on Trump’s legal problems, Unite the Country aims to capitalize on the perceived vulnerabilities of the former president and influence voters who may hold the key to electoral success in crucial swing states.
