Article snippet: MORE is facing an acute challenge with China that could define his first term and directly impact his chances for reelection. Trump has made toughening up against China a key prong of his administration’s work. But a trade deal with Beijing has eluded him, with both sides instead ratcheting up tariffs on one another in an extended back-and-forth. The widening trade war has spawned uncertainty that has unsettled the stock market and global economy as economists increasingly warn that a recession could be on the horizon. Securing a major deal with China would be a boon for Trump that he could herald on Twitter and at his campaign rallies. A failure to reach an agreement before the 2020 election, on the other hand, could dampen his chances if voters hurt by the trade war sour on the president. GOP strategist Doug Heye, who has been visiting states such as Iowa and Missouri, where farmers have seen sales of agricultural products dry up because of the dispute, said Trump voters are complimentary of Trump’s toughness on China but at the same time truly suffering from the trade war. “They give Trump credit for the fight because no other president was really willing to do that, but they’re feeling pain as a result of it,” Heye said. “What we don’t know yet and we will have to find out is what is that political elasticity with those voters.” Trump and his advisers have sought to project optimism over negotiations in recent weeks while defending the administration’s trade... Link to the full article to read more