(PartiallyPolitics.com) – As the 2024 Presidential election race heats up, these are five political events to watch this summer.
Presidential Debates
Former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden have agreed to two debates ahead of the election.
CNN will host the first on June 27. The second ABC will host on September 10.
There may be vice presidential debates over this summer. However, these haven’t been confirmed, given Trump has not announced his running mate, something he hinted at doing in mid-July.
Despite the debates being a typical part of the election, since they’re happening earlier in the calendar than ever before, they have the potential to direct campaigning leading up to November 5.
Trump and Hunter Biden’s Convictions
The most unusual element of the upcoming election is that the presumptive nominee of the GOP has been convicted of a crime.
Late in May, Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, and his sentencing is scheduled for July 11, four days before the Republican National Convention.
Trump’s guilty verdict is likely to become a popular talking point for Democrats in this election cycle as they argue it makes him unfit for office. However, Republicans are expected to counter these arguments by pointing to Hunter Biden’s mounting legal challenges and his conviction on three felony gun charges as evidence of the Biden family’s untrustworthiness.
Nominating Conventions
Given Trump’s sentencing four days before the convention in Milwaukee, the GOP is making contingencies to allow Trump to attend the nominating convention virtually.
Biden’s nomination will be virtual. The Democratic convention is scheduled for August 19 to 22, and they need to finalize his nomination to comply with Ohio’s certification deadline.
Congressional Primaries
Two congressional races that will reveal more of voters’ sentiments at the polls are coming up in the next two weeks.
In Virginia, Republican Rep. Bob Good, who chairs the conservative House Freedom Caucus, faces a challenge from state Senator John McGuire, who has received Trump’s backing. Good initially endorsed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for President, earning Trump’s ire, though he has switched to backing Trump.
New York Democrat Rep. Jamaal Bowman will try defending his seat against George Latimer, an executive from Westchester County. The race will become a proxy battle for the moderate and progressive wings of the Democratic Party — spotlighting which has the potential to become more influential in this election cycle.
An Earlier Surprise
Voters could be in for an “October surprise” far earlier in the election calendar than the one month before the polls that’s typical of Presidential races.
Pundits have speculated the surprise could be health-related, forcing one of the candidates to leave the race — a more likely possibility given both Biden and Trump are the oldest presumptive party nominees of major parties in U.S. history.
Another surprise could stem from ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Israel involving U.S. forces and spotlighting the policies of both candidates.
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