Presidential historian, voters react to events of past 3 weeks in presidential race

It’s been an extraordinary time in American politics.

Former President Trump is recovering after an attempted assassination.

And President Biden is being treated for Covid and faces another struggle to stay in the race amid growing doubts in his party that he can win.

“It feels like a little roller coaster ride. It's like every day something new,” said one woman.

And it has been an unbelievable string of events in the race for the White House.

We spoke about it with Eastern Connecticut State University presidential historian Thomas Balcerski.

“I've not seen ever before in a presidential race and this early in the presidential race, the scales rebalance so quickly between Republicans and Democrats,” said Balcerski.

Former President Trump watched as critical coverage turned to President Biden’s performance during the debate in June.

Then Trump survived an attempted assassination at a campaign rally last weekend.

And this week at the Republican National Convention he watched people unify around him and his running mate pick JD Vance.

“Right now Donald Trump has had perhaps the most unusual string of luck of any presidential candidate in modern political history,” said Balcerski.

For Biden it’s been a fall from winning the primaries and the State of the Union to the debate.

Now as he isolates after testing positive for COVID-19 he continues to see support for his candidacy from his own party disappear.

“By comparison, the Democrats have had probably the worst three weeks of any incumbent's record in modern American history,” said Balcerski.

All of it leaving some voters frustrated with their choices.

“It just is not good for the younger generation to see where we're at right now,” said Erin Lafleur of Newington.

And people feel like their concerns aren’t being addressed.

 “We work an average 40 hours and still struggling. So like the financial thing is definitely a big thing,” said Cynthia Cummings of Hartford.

This late in the race, Balcerski says it would be unprecedented for a major party to change their candidate.

We’re told the closest similarity is 1968 when President Johnson withdrew but that was much earlier in the process and a primary still took place.