Dillon, previously confident in Joe Biden's victory despite poor poll results, had never made such a statement before. The US mainstream media cites Harris' rising approval numbers, while questioning Dillon's newfound caution.
What’s troubling the Harris-Walz campaign chief?
Despite record fundraising, increased volunteer interest, and a spike in voter enthusiasm, Dillon cautions that "Donald Trump has a motivated base of support, with more backing and higher favorability than he has had at any point since 2020."
The upcoming debate between Vice President Harris and Trump, with the latter described in the memo as "a formidable opponent", is another note of concern.
Dillon observes, "In 2020, the election came down to about 40,000 votes across the battleground states. This November, we anticipate similarly razor-thin margins."
Additionally, Trump is "a heavily defined candidate", whereas American voters are less familiar with Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. Dillon urges "aggressive campaigning" to "introduce and define [the Harris-Walz] ticket to the voters."
The New York Times suggests the memo is "an artful attempt to lower expectations" and boost fundraising, while reinvigorating the base.
However, Republicans argue that Harris is the underdog, claiming her poll lead results from deliberate oversampling of Democratic voters. They criticize her as economically "illiterate" and point to her controversial record as Joe Biden's vice president.