Some Republican operatives are warning that President Donald Trump’s plan to reopen schools could backfire politically among suburban voters, The Washington Examiner reports.
Trump is advocating for all K-12 schools to reopen for in-person learning this fall even though some cases have seen coronavirus cases soar.
He has even threatened to block schools that do not adhere to reopening plans from receiving federal funding. He blasted virtual learning and called it "terrible" compared to in-person learning on Twitter.
But in order for his plan to be successful, Republican strategists say the president still has work to do to sell parents on it.
“The problem President Trump has is twofold,” a veteran Republican strategist with clients on the November ballot told the publication. “One, voters no longer trust his judgment or predictions or handling of the virus. And, two, voters believe that many of their states opened too soon, while also believing that they did so because of pressure from the president.”
In order to receive backing from voters, strategists say Trump needs to get the coronavirus numbers under control so parents feel safe sending their kids back to school. They said he also needs to improve Americans' trust in his ability to oversee the pandemic response.
To win over parents, GOP operatives say Trump needs to stop treating the virus like it is going away and instead show support for areas experiencing hotspots of outbreaks.
If he can alter his rhetoric, many believe he will win over support with suburban parents who disliked the virtual learning experience.
“If the president insists on making it polarizing and autocratic, he will not be rewarded,” a GOP insider said. “The suburban voter he can get with this wedge hates the my-way-or-the-highway approach, so he can’t do this that way. But he clearly has finally identified an issue on which he can find common ground with most suburban women if he will deliver it in the right way.”
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