Barely a week ago, a sense of inevitability hung over the U.S. presidential election.

Donald Trump’s allies gleefully predicted a landslide victory during a Republican National Convention that felt more like a coronation for a nominee who had just survived an assassination attempt and was promising to unite the country. Democrats, desperate and listless, feared the worst as a diminished President Joe Bidenclung to his party’s nomination.

But over the last seven days, a week unlike any other in American history, the 2024 presidential contest has been transformed. And now, just 99 days before Election Day, a fundamentally new race is taking shape featuring new candidates, a new issue focus and a new outlook for both parties.

Vice President Kamala Harris stepped in for Biden last Sunday and quickly smashed fundraising records, took over social media and generated levels of excitement that some Democrats said reminded them of the energy that surrounded Barack Obama’s historic candidacy nearly two decades ago.

“This is potentially Obama on steroids,” said Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D–Texas, who was among 40,000 participants on a Black Women for Harris call last week.

On the other side, Republicans are suddenly fearful and frustrated as they begin to accept the new reality that Trump’s victory is no sure thing. And as their mood sours, the finger pointing has begun. Some prominent conservatives are openly second–guessing Trump’s vice presidential pick, JD Vance, a little–known Ohio senator with less than two years in office and a well–documented history of provocative statements.

Just 12 days ago, Vance earned a huge ovation as he addressed the RNC in Milwaukee, where there was a strong belief that Trump could do no wrong in the wake of his near–death experience.

“We’re light years away from where we were in Milwaukee,” said Republican National Committee member Henry Barbour, who just a week ago predicted that the GOP might win the national popular vote this fall for the first time since 2004. He’s not so sure anymore.

“The Democrats now have a candidate who can speak, who can attack. They have a weapon,” Barbour said. “They have a path.”

Conventional wisdom is often wrong

The incredible speed with which the election was transformed is a stark reminder that, in the Trump era, little is certain, and the conventional wisdom is often wrong. Even now, the Democrats’ newfound confidence may be premature. Early public polling suggests that Harris starts in a slightly better position against Trump than Biden was just before his withdrawal from the race. But the numbers also point to a very close race in a deeply divided nation.

Meanwhile, there are still more questions than answers about the 99–day sprint that lies ahead.

Harris has yet to select a running mate. Trump has introduced new uncertainty about the prospect of the next debate slated for Sept. 10 and hosted by ABC, arguing that was part of a deal arranged with Biden. Third–party candidates could still take the race in unexpected directions. And more than a billion dollars in political advertising has yet to be broadcast as both parties re–think their message, their policies and their path to 270 electoral votes.

But the shift over the last week is undeniable.

Harris raised a record–smashing $200 million in the seven days since taking over Biden’s campaign, with two–thirds of the haul coming from first–time contributors, her campaign said on Sunday. Over the same period, more than 170,000 volunteers have signed up to help the de facto Democratic nominee with phone banking, canvassing and other get–out–the–vote efforts.

Democrats up and down the ballot have benefited from the unprecedented surge.

John Anzalone, a former Biden pollster, described Harris’ candidacy as “a defibrillator” for Democrats and swing voters across the nation. “We’re back in the game, baby!”