Perspectives: Trump's Re-election Chances

Donald Trump has at least five strong historical arguments for his reelection.

One, he is an incumbent. Incumbent presidents have won 14 of 19 reelection bids since 1900.

The few who lost did not enjoy positive approval ratings. In a Gallup poll from earlier this month, Trump enjoyed his highest approval rating since his inauguration, squeezing out a 49 percent favorable rating vs. 50 percent unfavorable.

Two, the public perception of the economy usually determines any presidential election — as incumbents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, George H. W. Bush, and...

The global coronavirus outbreak might accomplish something that myriad bad polls haven't: make Republicans fear losing the 2020 presidential election.

Until now, survey after survey has consistently shown President Trump losing to the Democrats in November. Like, to all of the Democrats. Yet Republicans have remained confident. They remember how the #FakePolls showed Trump losing to Hillary Clinton four years ago. More importantly, perhaps, GOPers have a deep faith that the strong economy will provide a powerful tailwind to Trump's re-election campaign.

But the plunging stock market, badly spooked by...