Election 2024/ Kamala Harris campaign/ Trump rally/ final push before Election Day/ swing state rallies/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ On the eve of Election Day, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are racing through key battleground states in a final effort to mobilize voters. Harris is focused on Pennsylvania, while Trump will hold rallies in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. Both campaigns aim to make history, with Harris striving to be the first female president and Trump seeking a non-consecutive second term.
Final Campaign Push: Quick Looks
- Harris in Pennsylvania: Harris rallies in Pennsylvania’s working-class areas, ending with a Philadelphia event featuring Lady Gaga and Oprah Winfrey.
- Trump’s Rally Marathon: Trump visits North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Michigan in a bid to energize his base, ending in Grand Rapids, MI.
- Record Early Voting: About 77 million Americans have already voted early; both candidates aim to turn out millions more.
- Historic Stakes: Harris would be the first female, Black, and South Asian president; Trump would be the first convicted felon to win the White House.
- Key Battlegrounds: Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and key Sun Belt states are expected to decide the race.
Harris, Trump Make Final Election Push Across Battleground States
Deep Look
In the final hours leading up to Election Day, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are ramping up their campaigns with a whirlwind of rallies and voter outreach in critical swing states. Both candidates are aiming for a historic win—Harris could become the first woman, first Black woman, and first person of South Asian descent to hold the presidency, while Trump, if victorious, would become the first former president convicted of a felony to return to office.
Vice President Harris has made Pennsylvania the focal point of her final day of campaigning. With 19 electoral votes, Pennsylvania represents one of the largest prizes and could be pivotal in determining the Electoral College outcome. Harris’s Monday schedule includes visits to working-class cities like Allentown and a late-night rally in Philadelphia, featuring high-profile guests Lady Gaga and Oprah Winfrey. Harris, running as a Democrat and promising “Freedom” as her campaign’s theme, has leaned heavily into messages of unity and hope, casting herself as a candidate who can bridge generational and political divides. She has largely refrained from directly mentioning Trump in recent days, instead focusing on policy goals and fostering a message of optimism.
Trump, in contrast, is packing in multiple rallies across North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. His day begins in Raleigh, North Carolina, continues with stops in Reading and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and concludes with a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The former president has highlighted his well-known slogans, “Make America Great Again” and “America First,” as he appeals to voters through promises of a stronger economy, a secure southern border, and an end to international conflicts. Alongside his pledges, Trump has underscored his grievances over being prosecuted for attempting to overturn the 2020 election and claims that Harris and the Democrats have mismanaged the country, promising, “Kamala broke it. I will fix it.”
This election season has been marked by unprecedented moments. Harris’s rise to the top of the Democratic ticket followed a rocky June debate for President Joe Biden, who subsequently withdrew from the race amid concerns over his age. At 60, Harris has positioned herself as a generational shift, aligning with progressive leaders and moderates alike in an effort to expand her base. Meanwhile, Trump, who has survived two assassination attempts this campaign season, remains under the shadow of legal challenges, including a felony conviction. Nevertheless, he continues to galvanize his base, especially through appeals to working-class voters and communities that have traditionally leaned Democratic.
The battleground map for this election stretches across seven critical states. Trump previously won Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin in 2016 but lost them to Biden in 2020. Other battlegrounds, including North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada, add complexity to this year’s election landscape. North Carolina has historically leaned toward Republicans in the past two elections, while Nevada has been reliably Democratic. Arizona and Georgia flipped to Democrats in 2020 after decades of Republican dominance.
With more than 77 million Americans having already cast their ballots, early turnout has broken records, and both campaigns are seeking to mobilize those still undecided or planning to vote on Election Day. Harris’s team remains optimistic, pointing to a substantial gender gap in early voting and signs that last-minute voters are shifting her way. Over the weekend, her campaign activated a volunteer network of over 90,000 individuals who collectively knocked on more than 3 million doors across key states.
The Trump campaign, meanwhile, is confident in Trump’s populist message and believes he can assemble a unique coalition of younger, working-class voters across racial and ethnic groups. The campaign has made a concerted effort to court Black and Latino men, aiming to win over a demographic traditionally loyal to the Democratic Party.
In these final hours, Harris’s campaign has leaned into its network of Democratic allies, with support from figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and former Vice President Dick Cheney. Her strategy includes drawing in a broad coalition with appeals to reproductive rights and democracy, branding Trump as a potential authoritarian leader. Trump’s rhetoric, on the other hand, focuses on law and order and conservative values, emphasizing immigration control and economic strength, even as he continues to question the legitimacy of the election process.
As the candidates make their final appeals to voters, both campaigns are attempting to drive turnout in their respective strongholds and win over undecided voters in crucial swing areas. The stakes are high, with the outcome poised to set a historical precedent, whether through Harris’s groundbreaking win or Trump’s unprecedented return. As Election Day unfolds, these efforts mark the closing chapter of a campaign season marked by intense polarization, high voter engagement, and a final-day push for every possible vote.
