The political stage is heating up as former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris battle it out for the White House, each playing to their strengths—whatever those might be. And if you ask different Americans what’s making headlines, their responses depend more on their political leanings than anything else.
Thank you for reading this post, don’t forget to subscribe!According to The Breakthrough, a CNN project that tracks what the average American is seeing and hearing about the candidates, this week’s news consumption tilted in favor of Trump. But the stories resonating with people are wildly different based on their party affiliation.
Trump’s Media Storm: Assassination Attempts & Conspiracies
Republicans have been talking about the shocking—and twice-attempted—assassination of Trump. Yes, you read that right. This isn’t the plot of a summer blockbuster; it’s real life. According to The Breakthrough, many GOP voters are focused on the incident at a Florida golf course where someone tried (unsuccessfully) to take Trump’s life. One Republican respondent summed it up: “Donald Trump has been out on the campaign trail and it’s getting dangerous for him.”
The assassination attempt has naturally consumed Republican minds. Yet, Democrats? Not so much. They’ve got other things to talk about—namely, Trump’s latest conspiracy theory involving Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio. Trump made the baseless claim that migrants were somehow responsible for local pets disappearing.
Unsurprisingly, Democrats are calling out Trump for spreading more lies. “He continues to peddle the Springfield story about Haitian immigrants eating local pets,” one person noted. Oh, and let’s not forget his use of anti-Semitic tropes during campaign rallies. Classic Trump.
Harris: Keeping a Lower Profile but Gaining Ground
Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris is taking a more measured approach on the campaign trail, and it’s reflected in the media coverage—well, sort of. While about 69% of Americans said they’d heard news about her, that’s still slightly less than the 75% who’ve caught wind of Trump’s exploits.
For those who are paying attention to Harris, the focus is largely on her debate performance, which has been described (mostly) positively. The words “debate” and “Oprah interview” keep popping up in conversations. Yes, that Oprah. It seems Harris scored some points with her TV appearance, and there’s even chatter about a potential rematch with Trump. Now that would be a showdown.
Read more : Trump and Zelensky: A Last-Minute Meeting Amid Campaign Tensions
Interestingly, the sentiment around Harris is generally more favorable than what people are saying about Trump—though the positivity gap between them has shrunk since last week’s debate. Harris’ critics, both on the right and left, are starting to show up with a few more negative comments than before. Still, her overall tone is far less divisive than Trump’s, whose media coverage remains firmly entrenched in negative territory.
Why the Stark Contrast?
So, why the split between what Democrats and Republicans are hearing? Well, it could be due to different media diets. Republicans are more tuned into stories that evoke fear and danger—like, say, assassination attempts—while Democrats are keyed in on Trump’s fact-free accusations and debate antics.
It’s also likely that the emotional resonance of certain stories varies. For GOP voters, Trump’s near-death experience is proof that he’s under attack (literally) as he fights for America. For Democrats, his offensive rhetoric about immigrants and pets is a reminder of the dangers of misinformation.
Independents, ever the wild card, are catching bits and pieces of both narratives. They’re talking about the election and campaign, but they seem less entrenched in any one storyline.
What’s Next?
As we head into the final stretch of the campaign, expect this media divide to deepen. Harris will continue her carefully curated appearances, while Trump will probably keep doing what Trump does best—making waves, stirring controversy, and dominating the headlines.
If there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that no matter what happens, each party will filter the news through its own lens. So, if you want to know the latest on the Trump-Harris race? Well, it depends on who you ask.