Albert R. Hunt, Columnist

Now, Get Ready for an Unpredictable General Election

With 100 days until Election Day, polls will be of little help in predicting this contest like no other.

July 31, 2016 at 2:31 PM UTC

Albert R. Hunt is a former Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He was the executive editor of Bloomberg News, before which he was a reporter, bureau chief and executive Washington editor at the Wall Street Journal.

Fighting season.
Photographer: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Provide news feedback or report an error

Site feedback:

Take our Survey

This article is for subscribers only.

The U.S. general election officially begins on Labor Day, but the dynamics for this volatile race will be established in August. Or: With a polarized electorate, many of the parameters of the contest are already baked into the cake, so little will change over the next five weeks.

Both predictions can't be true, yet political operatives in both parties acknowledge that they're not sure which is more likely in this bizarre year.