A renewed surge in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations presents a major threat to President Trump’s reelection chances.

“This election is about COVID and everything related to it,” said Douglas Heye, former communications director for the Republican National Committee. “If we were having this conversation in February, we’d be talking about issues where Trump does have strength. Those are gone, which is why when you watch Trump and his base, they talk about how great 2020 was going because nobody can say with a straight face that 2020 has been a good year.”