With just two weeks until the election on November 5, recent polls indicate a tight contest between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll released this week shows Harris with a narrow lead over Trump, garnering 46% compared to Trump's 43%. This slight advantage reflects similar findings from a previous week, where Harris held a 45percent to 42percent lead.
Despite Harris's national polling advantage, voters express concerns about the economy and immigration, areas where Trump appears to resonate more with the electorate. A significant 60% of respondents believe the economy is heading in the wrong direction, suggesting a critical backdrop for the candidates as they campaign.
Battleground states in focus
According to FiveThirtyEight’s daily election tracker, Harris leads nationally with a 1.9 percentage-point margin. However, the outcome depends on key battleground states - Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia - where the polling margins are razor-thin and often within the margin of error.
In states like Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, and Arizona, Trump currently holds a slight edge, while Harris is leading in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Nevada by narrow margins.
Both Trump's and Harris's campaigns are majorly focused on securing Georgia. The state voted for Joe Biden in 2020 and contributed to his victory in the last presidential election. While in 2016, Trump won Georgia.
As of now, more than 1.84 million Georgians have cast their ballot comprising one-fourth of the state.“We are almost pushing 1.4 million who've already voted early or who we've accepted their absentee ballots. We're probably gonna see a record turnout, early voting, probably 65 maybe 70% of all Georgians are going to vote that way, but they have a free will choice on how to vote,” Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger told CBS News.
Trump and Harris campaigns and counter-offensive
On Tuesday, Harris asserted her commitment to defeating Trump, declaring that her team is ready to challenge any premature victory claims he might make. During an interview with NBC, a part of a media blitz, Harris tried to persuade voters as possible through her closing argument. Referencing the Capitol riots and ongoing denial of electoral results, Harris said, “This is a person, Donald Trump, who tried to undo the — a free and fair election, who still denies the will of the people, who incited a violent mob to attack the United States Capitol…”
“The Democrats have the resources and the expertise should Trump try to subvert the election,” she said.
Harris also took to Telemundo, a Spanish-language television network in the US, to discuss her vision for an economy that uplifts the working class, aiming to build “solutions that could bring more capital to the community.”
Trump, for his part, has been active on the campaign trail, hosting a roundtable with Latino leaders in Florida. His campaign seeks to sway Latino voters, particularly in crucial states. However, recent polls show Harris holding a significant lead among Latino voters, with 63% supporting her compared to Trump’s 31%.
Trump while attacking Harris said that she was "sleeping" during her media appearances and painted a bleak picture of the election’s stakes.
“If we lose this election, we may not have a country anymore.” His criticisms of Harris were complemented by a rally in North Carolina, where he focused on the state’s economy and rallied support.
High-profile endorsements and events
The campaigns are also marked by high-profile appearances. Former President Barack Obama rallied support for Harris in Wisconsin, urging voters to participate in early voting. He humorously remarked, “If you haven’t voted yet, I won’t be offended if you just walk out right now [to go vote].” Obama also criticized Trump’s fitness for office, saying, “America is ready to turn the page.”
Detroit Rapper Eminem on Tuesday reached Detroit, his hometown, to extend support for Vice President Kamala Harris ahead of her presidential campaign before welcoming former President Barack Obama to the stage.
“As most of you know, the city of Detroit and the whole state of Michigan mean a lot to me. And going into this election, the spotlight is on us more than ever. And I think it's important to use your voice. So I'm encouraging everybody to get out and vote.” Eminem said to the crowd endorsing Harris.
Musician Bruce Springsteen is also set to endorse Harris and join her and Obama at a rally in Atlanta on Thursday.
Next on the list for Harris and Trump
Meanwhile, Harris is scheduled to engage with voters directly at a CNN town hall outside Philadelphia, a crucial opportunity to connect with undecided voters. The news channel will host a live town hall outside of Philadelphia with a live audience of undecided voters. Meanwhile, Trump is expected to have an interview with popular podcaster and UFC commentator Joe Rogan.
