“The problem President Trump has is twofold,” a veteran Republican strategist with clients on the November ballot said. “One, voters no longer trust his judgment or predictions or handling of the virus. And, two, voters believe that many of their states opened too soon, while also believing that they did so because of pressure from the president.”…

To win over these parents and put Biden on the defensive, Republican operatives say, Trump needs to stop crafting social media posts that are designed to rile up his base and treat the coronavirus as if the pandemic is receding. Instead, the president needs to show support for treading cautiously in states where COVID-19 is still spreading and show that he recognizes the fear many people are feeling because of the pandemic…

“If the president insists on making it polarizing and autocratic, he will not be rewarded,” a GOP insider said. “The suburban voter he can get with this wedge hates the my-way-or-the-highway approach, so he can’t do this that way. But he clearly has finally identified an issue on which he can find common ground with most suburban women if he will deliver it in the right way.”