John Kasich is among a handful of high-profile Republicans likely to become more active in their support for Joe Biden.

In the four months since Joe Biden effectively won the Democratic presidential nomination, he has focused on consolidating the party’s divergent and often warring internal factions. As the closing stretch of the campaign nears, he is turning his sights on another, more elusive, prize – Republicans disaffected with President Donald Trump.

Biden’s first score? Former Ohio Governor John Kasich, a Republican and frequent Trump critic, who is expected to speak at the Democratic National Convention on Biden’s behalf next month. Kasich, who ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, is among a handful of high-profile Republicans likely to become more active in supporting Biden during the campaign.

Trump, meanwhile, is doing virtually nothing to expand his appeal beyond his most loyal supporters. Some Republican operatives believe the suburbs are lost while a contingent of high-profile Republicans is openly questioning the president’s re-election message. In an acknowledgement of the mounting challenges, Trump named a new campaign manager last week.

In crucial battleground states such as Florida, some Democrats are concerned that Biden’s current standing could be a high-water mark, however. Some polls suggest Biden’s strength comes more from voters’ displeasure with Trump than excitement about Biden, whose regular gaffes, long Washington record and recent attempts to appease progressives leave him in a tougher spot than some Democrats would like to believe.

Trump’s team believes the president will eventually benefit when the explosion of coronavirus infections begins to subside, and the economy recovers.

So far, the numbers are moving in the opposite direction. The nation continues to break new records of daily infections, and several states have scaled back reopening plans.

“It’s really a perfect storm coming. It’s like Trump’s on a sinking ship,” said former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, a prominent Biden ally.

“Everybody every day is now dealing with coronavirus in their personal lives,” he told The Associated Press news agency in an interview. “Yeah, they’re going to blame Trump. They should. And there’s nothing he can do about it.”

Still, McAuliffe warned: “If any party can screw this up, it’s the Democratic Party.”

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