Barring any self-inflicted wounds or new legal developments from the corrupt Biden Department of Justice, former President Donald Trump appears to have an excellent chance of winning his job back. Joe Biden’s approval numbers remain in the toilet, with Trump besting the president in most key swing state surveys.
The Sun Belt looks rosier for Trump post-pandemic and the election shenanigans that followed in 2020. Georgia doesn’t look like it’s in play, but one state could be in play for Republicans that could put enormous pressure on the Biden campaign: Nevada. Trump has led Biden there since March. Over the weekend, Trump declared he would end the taxation on tips. If Trump wins the presidency and the GOP retakes Congress, this isn’t outside the realm of possibility (via The Hill):
Former President Trump on Sunday said he would end taxes on tips as the “first thing” he does in office if reelected, marking his latest push to appeal to voters in the service industry.
“For those hotel workers and people that get tips, you’re going to be very happy. Because when I get to office, we are going to not charge taxes on tips,” Trump said at a rally in Las Vegas.
“We’re not going to do it, and we’re going to do that right away, first thing in office, because it’s been a point of contention for years and years and years,” he added. “And you do a great job of service, you take care of people and I think it’s going to be something that really is deserved.”
Changes to taxation on tipped income would require congressional approval. Lawmakers will look at the nation’s tax policy next year upon the expiration of Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Cut Act (TCJA), which cut the corporate tax rate and brought down individual tax rates depending on the tax credit.
As the law currently stands, service workers are required to report their tips to the IRS, which views tips as regular taxable income.
Did this announcement have an impact? Yes. Six Biden supporters in Nevada, all of them in the hotel industry, told CBS News’ Olivia Rinaldi that would be enough to change their vote:
CBS' @olivialarinaldi says 6 people in Nevada told her that President Trump's pledge to eliminate taxes on tips would change their vote from Democrat to Republican in November. pic.twitter.com/kzfpj00O0X
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) June 10, 2024
We’ll see if any more jump ship, but regardless, this is a smart thing to run on—it’s also the right thing to do.