GOP Strategist Warns of Growing Kamala Harris Momentum: ‘We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Boat’

As the 2024 presidential race intensifies, a prominent Republican strategist has offered a surprising assessment of Democratic nominee Kamala Harris’s chances against former President Donald Trump. The strategist, Mike Madrid, who co-founded the anti-Trump Republican group known as the Lincoln Project, voiced his thoughts on social media, drawing attention to a critical polling metric that could tip the scales in Harris's favor.

Madrid, a seasoned political strategist who once served as the GOP political director in California, took to the platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to express his optimism about Harris’s prospects. His analysis centered on a significant trend: Harris’s growing support among Latino voters and a notable defection rate within the Republican Party.

“If Kamala Harris continues to show polling numbers with Trump under 34% with Latino voters and an increase in the GOP defection rate to 9%+, we’re gonna need a bigger boat,” Madrid remarked, referencing the famous line from the movie Jaws.

His comments underscore the potential impact of these polling trends on the upcoming election. Latino voters, a key demographic in several battleground states, could play a pivotal role in determining the outcome. The indication that Trump’s support among this group is faltering, coupled with rising GOP defections, is a warning sign for the former president’s campaign.

However, Madrid tempered his optimism with a note of caution. In a follow-up post, he acknowledged that many of the polls showing Trump’s support in this range come from Democratic-leaning pollsters, whose credibility he questioned. Nonetheless, he suggested that the trends might hold true, particularly as the post-convention period unfolds.

“We’re gonna see movement post-convention among college-educated Republicans and U.S.-born Latino men in Harris’s direction,” Madrid predicted, pointing to a potential shift in voter behavior that could benefit the vice president.

The strategist’s analysis was supported by recent polling data obtained by The Hill, which showed Harris with a substantial lead over Trump among Hispanic voters in North Carolina. The TelevisaUnivision Consumer Strategy & Insights/Media Predict poll revealed that Harris had secured 56 percent of support from likely Hispanic voters in the state, compared to Trump’s 34 percent.

These numbers highlight a growing trend that could prove decisive in key swing states. As the election draws nearer, the Trump campaign may need to recalibrate its strategy to address these vulnerabilities, particularly among Latino voters who were once considered a crucial part of Trump’s coalition.

Madrid’s Jaws reference, suggesting the need for a “bigger boat,” reflects the growing concern within Republican circles that Harris’s momentum could pose a serious challenge to Trump’s bid for a return to the White House. As the race tightens, both campaigns will likely intensify their efforts to court these critical voter blocs, making the upcoming weeks crucial in shaping the final outcome.