Donald Trump has Covid. How might this affect his chances of re-election?

Because he has often disparaged the virulence of the disease, the president faces the public humiliation of being its victim

With just a month left until the November 3 US presidential election, contracting the virus could have politically positive or negative consequences for President Donald Trump. These will, of course, be contingent on how severe the president’s illness becomes. But we should not count him out and Biden in just yet.

Here are the ways the diagnosis could swing the election either way for Trump.

 

Negative

1. Trump’s days in isolation will halt his intense campaign schedule. Trump was much better at energising crowds in airport hangers than Joe Biden has been. This advantage is now gone.

2. Trump is a sick man. Campaigning