With Election Day approaching, both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are making their final campaign efforts in key states. The two presidential nominees are focusing on states with significant electoral votes. This follows an intense campaign season marked by a felony trial, the withdrawal of the incumbent President, Joe Biden, from the race, and several assassination attempts.
Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, plans to spend her last day of campaigning in Pennsylvania. The state, with its 19 electoral votes, is considered crucial in determining the outcome of the Electoral College. Harris’s schedule includes visits to working-class areas such as Allentown, culminating in a nighttime rally in Philadelphia. This event will feature appearances by celebrities Lady Gaga and Oprah Winfrey, aiming to energize supporters.
Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee and former president, has organized four rallies across three states. His campaign day starts in Raleigh, North Carolina, followed by two rallies in Pennsylvania, in Reading and Pittsburgh. Trump plans to conclude his campaign in Grand Rapids, Michigan, mirroring his campaign strategy from previous elections.
Voter turnout has been significant, with around 77 million Americans casting their votes early. Both Harris and Trump continue to encourage more people to vote on Election Day. Regardless of the outcome, this election stands to make history. A win for Trump would make him the first sitting president to have been convicted of a felony, following his trial in New York. It would also mark him as the second president, after Grover Cleveland, to serve non-consecutive terms.
For Harris, a victory would be historic for different reasons. She would become the first woman, the first Black woman, and the first person of South Asian descent to become President. Her candidacy became a reality after President Biden withdrew from the race following a lackluster debate performance in June, which raised concerns about his age and capability to lead.
Throughout the campaign, Trump has narrowly escaped danger, including an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and another thwarted plan while golfing in Florida. Harris, meanwhile, has emphasized her role as a symbol of generational change and her commitment to abortion rights, especially after the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning the constitutional right to abortion services.
Harris has shifted her focus to problem-solving and consensus-building, leaving behind earlier critiques of Trump and adopting a positive campaign message. Her coalition includes diverse supporters, from progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to Republican figures such as former Vice President Dick Cheney.
Trump, on the other hand, revives his “Make America Great Again” and “America First” slogans, focusing on immigration and sharp criticisms of Democratic policies. He has promised economic improvements and criticized the current state of the nation, attributing its challenges to the opposition. His assertions about election fraud and complaints about the media have been a consistent theme in his speeches.