WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — As Democrats in Chicago promote their economic message at the Democratic National Convention, former President Donald Trump and his running mate are ramping up their campaign efforts in key battleground states with a sharp focus on crime.
Trump discussed crime and safety Tuesday afternoon at the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office in Howell, Michigan. In his address, he contrasted his actions on crime with those of Vice President Kamala Harris, who has previously served as a prosecutor, district attorney and attorney general.
“Crime in America is out of control. I’m going to make it, along with the economy, inflation, strong borders and energy dominance, my top priority when I’m president of the United States again, we will never even think about or mention the words defund the police. We’re going to make a record investment in hiring, retention and training of police officers,” Trump told the small crowd gathered in the sheriff’s office.
While crime may be a major concern for voters, there could be some disconnect with this strategy. The challenge is that crime rates have largely decreased, yet it remains a key issue for voters this year.
The candidates are aware of this and hope to leverage it to their advantage.
‘Crime statistics are a disaster’: Trump
“They’re just weak on crime. They don’t mind if somebody murders somebody,” Trump said of the Harris campaign during a rally in Pennsylvania last week. “They don’t want them to go to jail. You can kill somebody now. They do a lot of bad things, and we have to win this election because crime statistics are a disaster.”
Trump and vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance will carry this message into battleground states Michigan and Wisconsin starting Tuesday as they try to make an impact amid this week’s Democratic National Convention.
Republicans hope their focus will stand out as Harris formally accepts the Democratic Party’s nomination for president.
Crime one of the top issues for voters: Poll
Republicans are campaigning on crime even as it has been on the decline.
The Major Chiefs Association, which represents the largest police departments in the U.S., recently published its mid-year violent crime report from the top 70 agencies.
Excluding New York City, violent crime is down by 6% compared to last year, with 54 of the 69 cities reporting declines in violent crime. However, aggravated assaults are up substantially from prepandemic levels by nearly 18,000 reports.
Trump and Vance are targeting Wisconsin and Michigan, where crime rates are also dropping. In Milwaukee, homicides have dropped from 74 to 61 compared to the previous year, with a small increase in robberies.
Detroit has seen a decline in crime, specifically in homicides, which are down from 123 to 103.
Although statistics show a decline, crime remains one of the top issues for voters. NewsNation and Decision Desk HQ polling shows crime as one of the top three issues for the 2024 election.