Journalists’ Roundtable: Trump tests positive for COVID-19

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump have tested positive for COVID-19, and Trump will be hospitalized at Walter Reed hospital. Trump’s visit to Tucson has been canceled, and the status of his Flagstaff trip is currently unknown. The president’s last trip to Arizona took him to the Arizona Grand Resort in Phoenix for a Latinos for Trump roundtable on Sept. 14. 

“A shock, but not a surprise,” said Ted Simons, given Trump’s rigorous schedule leading up to the Nov. 3 election, finishing with a fundraising trip in New Jersey on Oct. 1 before announcing a positive test later that day. “I was surprised it had taken that long to be honest with you, given that he has not stopped, or halted, or dialed back his campaign in any way,” said Maria Polleta, a politics reporter from The Arizona Republic and USA Today.

“I don’t know if it impacts the Senate race at all. At the end of the day, Martha McSally’s fate is in large part tied to Donald Trump, but not entirely,” said Arizona Mirror’s Jim Small. “No matter how close the presidential race is, we all see Martha McSally dragging behind and I don’t know if this particular development is going to hurt Martha McSally’s campaign chance specifically,” said Small, but he adds that he thinks Republicans may see a minor hit among independent voters.

Currently, polls have been showing Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden with a slight lead for several months. The lead, however, does not indicate a clear advantage for Biden in the coming election.

Biden and Sen. Kamala D. Harris still plan to travel to Arizona on Oct. 8, but no further details have been released yet.