One thing that I think people are under appreciatting is the timing of the momentum swing. For a lot of folks here in the Midwest, the months of late June through early August are a slog. Not only is it beastly hot outside, but a lot of the usual entertainment isn't present. In a typical year, the only major sport happening routinely is baseball. Things that happen in that time period typically get more attention simply because there's not much else happening. That, however, was not the case this year.
While Biden was clearly struggling and then came the debate performance debacle, it wasn't the only major story. It may have felt like it, but so much else was happening: the Euros, Copa America, and the build up to and eventual start of the Olympics. They were a distraction from politics at the best time.
Then, right as most of those big things finished...Biden dropped out. It instantly became the biggest news story and, with little to block it out, it stayed there. And then, came Kamala. The momentum built over three weeks, perfectly timing with the unity, positivity, and joy brought on by the Olympics. It rose again in the past few days with the selection of Walz, and it will soon peak at the DNC. Kamala's perfectly timed rise right in middle of the summer dead period allowed her visibility to skyrocket, putting her in prominence in the minds of many. However, people are rightly beginning to worry the momentum will dim.
I'm sorry to say that it will undoubtedly dim, but not for the reasons you may think. It will dim, but that's the best possible thing that could happen (in the Midwest, at least).
This is because in people's minds she will represent that joy, optimism, and hope. That's what they will remember as their minds switch from the doldrums of summer to the excitement of fall that brings the key player in this tale: the start of football season, and more specifically college football season.
Football season dominates all, whether it's politics, other sports, or general entertainment. Especially in the Midwest. In the minds of those Midwestern voters, 95% have already made their voting decision. Football season is sacred, and only the biggest of impactful stories will break into their news cycle. And it will run all the way past the election. So for those worried about momentum fading, don't. For once football kicks off in those states, just avoiding pitfalls is all you need to do.
