How Trump Won, and How Harris Lost

Donald J. Trump’s main pollster, Tony Fabrizio, had seen conscionable astir everything successful his 3 races moving for the controversy-stoking erstwhile president. But adjacent helium seemed to beryllium bracing for atrocious news.

Mr. Trump had conscionable debated Vice President Kamala Harris, repeatedly taking her bait, wasting clip litigating his assemblage sizes and spreading baseless rumors astir pet-eating immigrants.

Mr. Fabrizio had predicted to colleagues that brutal media sum of Mr. Trump’s show successful a statement watched by 67 cardinal radical would assistance Ms. Harris successful the polls. He was close astir the media sum but incorrect astir the rest. His archetypal post-debate canvass shocked him: Ms. Harris had gained connected immoderate constrictive attributes, similar likability. But Mr. Trump had mislaid nary crushed successful the contest.

“I’ve ne'er seen thing similar this,” Mr. Fabrizio said connected a telephone with elder run leaders, according to 2 participants.

It was yet much impervious — arsenic if much were needed — of Mr. Trump’s durability implicit astir a decennary successful authorities and of his quality to defy the mean laws of gravity.

He overcame seemingly fatal governmental vulnerabilities — 4 transgression indictments, 3 costly lawsuits, condemnation connected 34 felony counts, endless reckless tangents successful his speeches — and transformed astatine slightest immoderate of them into chiseled advantages.