NEWS AND OPINION:

The presidential election is right around the corner. This event has not put the nation in a very good mood.

“Most adults feel anxious, frustrated, and interested about the 2024 presidential campaign, but few are excited. Democrats and Republicans tend to have similar emotions about the upcoming election, however Democrats are more likely to be anxious compared with Republicans. Independents are just as frustrated, but less excited, less interested, and less anxious than their partisans,” a straightforward Associated Press survey released Thursday reported.

It gauged the public’s emotional reaction to the 2024 presidential campaign, and here’s what they found: 75% of U.S. adults say they are interested in the 2024 campaign, while 69% say they are frustrated by the campaign, 69% say they feel anxious and 36% say they are excited.

The survey of 1,233 U.S. adults was conducted online and by phone Oct. 24-28 by the Associated Press/NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The respondents could choose multiple reactions from a supplied list of feelings.

TRUMP’S BUSY WEEKEND

The countdown is truly on for Election Day. Republican hopeful Donald Trump, of course, is now in the fast lane. He spent Thursday campaigning in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Henderson, Nevada. Friday finds him in Warren, Michigan, and Milwaukee.

There’s more. On Saturday, Mr. Trump will attend rallies in Gastonia, North Carolina; Salem, Virginia; and Greensboro, North Carolina.

Meanwhile, Republican vice presidential hopeful J.D. Vance is also in heavy travel mode. He will be in Portage, Michigan, and Selma, North Carolina, on Friday, and then it’s on to Scottsdale, Arizona, and Las Vegas on Saturday.

And for those who may wonder, Mr. Trump’s signature “Make America Great Again” ball caps now come in a dozen different colors and pattern varieties — from classic red and swanky white and gold to an “Elon MAGA” version in gray and black. Find them at donaldjtrump.com and click on the “Shop” icon.

THE SPEAKER SPEAKS

House Speaker Mike Johnson cited some promising political dynamics at work as Election Day looms.

In an interview with Fox Business, Mr. Johnson revealed how many campaign events he has led. And it’s paying off.

“What I’m seeing — and have been seeing for many months now — is the development of a demographic shift for this election. I think we’re going to make history,” Mr. Johnson told “Mornings With Maria” host Maria Bartiromo.

“I have been traveling the country nonstop. By the end of this week, Maria, I will have led campaign events in over 250 cities across 40 states. And what I’m seeing, and have been seeing for many months now, is the development of a demographic shift for this election. I think we’re going to make history,” he said.

“I think we’ll have a record number of Hispanic and Latino voters, and Black and African American voters, and Jewish voters, and union workers and all sorts of groups that have not traditionally been with the Republican Party,” Mr. Johnson predicted.

“Everybody knows that we’ve got to make a change, and they know that their lives are better under the Trump administration the first time, I think they’re going to give us a chance to fix all this,” Mr. Johnson said.

CONSIDERING THE VOTES

“As we head into Election Day, it’s worth remembering that the way to instill confidence in the election results is by having confidence in the election process before the votes are cast.”

Those thoughts came in a statement from Brian Phillips, chief communications officer for the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank based in Austin.

“Election integrity is based on a simple principle: before a voter can cast a ballot, they must verify their identity and eligibility to vote. If either one cannot be confirmed, then illegitimate votes could get into the system. And once they’re in, you can’t get them out,” he continued.

“That’s why the Supreme Court was right to affirm Virginia’s recent effort to remove non-citizens from the voter roll. There is no reasonable explanation for keeping someone who is ineligible to vote on the voter roll. Similarly, only 36 states have a general requirement that a voter must present identification to vote at the polls. The other 14 states often justify it by saying they don’t have a voter fraud problem. Well, how would they know if they did?” Mr. Phillips said.

“With the country split almost 50-50, the margins of victory are becoming thinner. Every vote matters from both a principled and practical perspective. States should be doing everything in their power to ensure only legitimate votes are cast,” he said.

Find the foundation at Texaspolicy.com.

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POLL DU JOUR

• 78% of U.S. adults say they would feel “more confident” that U.S. elections were open and fair if voters had to show a government-issued photo ID to vote.

• 69% say they would feel more confident about elections if Election Day became a national holiday.

• 60% would feel more confident if presidential candidates were required to release their recent tax returns.

• 54% would feel more confident if voting in presidential elections were moved to weekends.

• 54% would feel more confident if the order of candidates’ names was randomized on the ballot.

• 51% would feel more confident if felons were allowed to vote after serving their sentences.

• 45% would feel more confident if all citizens were automatically registered to vote.

SOURCE: A Reuters/Ipsos Core Political Poll of 1,501 U.S. adults conducted Oct. 25-27.

• Follow Jennifer Harper on X @HarperBulletin, on Facebook @HarperUniverse. Have a pleasant weekend.