Donald Trump Debate
Donald Trump Debate
Be it Resolved, Donald Trump is a weak general election candidate.
If recent polls are to be believed, Donald Trump is poised to become the President, for the second time, of the United States of America. Yet some observers think most swing voters who end up deciding American elections will ultimately turn away from Trump 2.0. For proof, they point to the difficulty Trump has had winning over many voters in his own party during the Republican primaries.
But other analysts insist the former president remains a formidable political force: He has a large and loyal base, he motivates people who don’t typically don’t vote, and he’s consistently beating Democrat Joe Biden in polls of key battleground states. 2016 should serve as an important lesson, they argue: don’t underestimate Donald Trump.
Arguing in favour of the resolution is Sarah Longwell. She is the publisher of the political analysis and opinion website The Bulwark, and host of The Focus Group Podcast.
Arguing against the resolution is Patrick Ruffini. He is a pollster and founding partner of the firm Echelon Insights. He is also the author of the book Party of the People: Inside the Multiracial Populist Coalition Remaking the GOP.
“Donald Trump is an incredibly strong Republican primary candidate, but he’s an incredibly weak general election candidate.”
-Sarah Longwell
“Donald Trump has been leading a general election survey since at least last September … that’s pretty extraordinary.”
-Patrick Ruffini
Vote
Join to votePro
Con
You may also like
September 16, 2026
– Listen
Munk Dialogue with Andrew Coyne: Carney opens Canada for business and courts a new European alliance
August 25, 2026
– Listen
Special Munk Dialogue with Andrew Coyne: Carney walks away from Trump and turns his Davos speech into action
September 22, 2026
– Listen
Munk Dialogue with Andrew Coyne: Is Carney’s momentum pointing to a spring election?
July 31, 2026
– Listen
Munk Dialogue with Andrew Coyne: Canada’s two competing priorities and the new U.S. Fed Chair signals compliance with Trump
August 14, 2026
– Listen
Munk Dialogue with Andrew Coyne: the Canada-US trade deadline looms and Iran calls Trump’s bluff
August 28, 2026
– Listen
Munk Dialogue with Andrew Coyne: Is Canada prepared for the long fight?
July 10, 2026
– Listen
Munk Dialogue with Andrew Coyne: the Iran-U.S. ceasefire unravels and Alberta pulls ahead while Ontario and Quebec fall behind
September 29, 2026
– Listen
Munk Dialogue with Andrew Coyne: Is Mark Carney governing like a Conservative?
August 7, 2026
– Listen
Munk Dialogue with Andrew Coyne: Carney considers concessions to Trump as U.S. Power wanes abroad
July 17, 2026
– Listen
Munk Dialogue with Andrew Coyne: Trump undermines his own party and the crisis of Canadian conservatism
July 24, 2026
– Listen
Munk Dialogue with Andrew Coyne: Trump doubles down on the Iran war and tariffs, and an AI model escapes the lab
August 21, 2026
