Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump have hit the campaign trail, making their case to voters from Georgia to Pennsylvania, where early voting for the US presidential election has already begun.
Ms. Harris and Mr. Trump are nearly neck-and-neck in the most competitive states, as many Americans have started casting their ballots early, both by mail and in person, with just 17 days remaining until the November 5 election.
At a get-out-the-vote event in Detroit, Michigan, Ms. Harris rallied her supporters on the first day of early voting, joined by Detroit-born rapper Lizzo, who emphasized the importance of voting in a state that can be decided by razor-thin margins.
“This is the swing state of all swing states, so every single last vote here counts,” Lizzo stated.
Ms. Harris urged her supporters to put in an all-out effort to secure victory
As the US vice president, Ms. Harris called on her supporters to make a concerted effort to win.
“On Election Day, we don’t want to have any regrets about what we could have done in these next 17 days,” she urged about 300 voters preparing to march to an early-voting location.
She highlighted that early voting has already set records in Georgia and North Carolina, challenging Detroit—a city renowned for its musical output—to do the same.
Her next stop was Atlanta, Georgia, for a rally alongside another artist, Usher, who is currently performing in a three-date concert series in the southern city.
Early voting kicked off this week in Georgia.
“Donald Trump has shown himself to be increasingly unstable and unfit, and he is attempting to take us backward,” Ms. Harris told reporters in Detroit.
Early voting has commenced in several states
To replicate US President Joe Biden’s 2020 victories in Michigan and Georgia, Ms. Harris will need robust support from predominantly non-white cities like Detroit and Atlanta and their nearby suburbs.
Meanwhile, Mr. Trump planned a rally in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, aiming to leverage what he perceives as an improved standing in opinion polls, which reflect a tightly contested race.
Many voters in Pennsylvania have already received mail-in ballots, making the state a crucial prize on Election Day that could influence the outcomes of battleground states in 2024.
Early voting is also set to commence in Nevada, where former President Barack Obama is expected to campaign for Ms. Harris in Las Vegas.
Both candidates spent the previous day in closely contested Michigan, exchanging critiques about each other’s fitness for office.
Harris and Trump clash over stamina
Ms. Harris questioned Mr. Trump’s physical stamina to effectively serve as president while they campaigned in the hotly contested battleground state, with Mr. Trump countering by pointing to his evident energy on the trail.
As she approaches her 60th birthday tomorrow, Ms. Harris sought to cast doubt on the capacity of the 78-year-old Trump.
Although age had been a concern when Mr. Biden, 81, was still in the race, those discussions have diminished since he withdrew his candidacy.
Ms. Harris noted reports suggesting Mr. Trump skipped interviews due to exhaustion and passed up the opportunity for a second debate with her, raising questions about his fitness for the role.
“It ought to be a concern. If he can’t withstand the demands of campaigning, is he fit to hold the job?” she remarked to reporters before a rally in Grand Rapids. “That’s a legitimate concern.”
While Mr. Trump has missed several events, his campaign has not provided explanations.
Upon arriving in Detroit, the former president dismissed such concerns. “I’ve gone 48 days without a break,” he stated.
“I’m not even fatigued. I’m genuinely exhilarated. You know why? We’re annihilating her in the polls because the American people don’t want her,” he asserted.
Mr. Trump seeks support from disenchanted Arab Americans in Michigan
In a Fox & Friends interview, he criticized negative television ads about him on Fox and said he would request Rupert Murdoch, the founder of News Corp and the one behind Fox News, to ensure such ads are not aired until Election Day.
“I’m going to say, ‘Rupert, please do it this way, and then we will achieve a victory because everyone wants that,'” Mr. Trump declared.
He visited a campaign office in Hamtramck, where he received commendations from the suburb’s first Muslim mayor, Amer Ghalib.
Mr. Trump was courting support from Arab Americans in Michigan who are dissatisfied with the Democrats, Ms. Harris, and President Biden due to US backing for Israel amid the Gaza conflict.
“We all ultimately want one thing: peace in the Middle East. We will achieve peace in the Middle East. It will happen quickly. It can happen with the right leadership in Washington,” Mr. Trump stated, without providing further details.
In Oakland County, Ms. Harris welcomed members of the Arab American community to her rally, emphasizing prospects for peace following the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
Later that evening, Mr. Trump returned to Detroit for a rally, having asserted on October 10 that the rest of the US would turn into Detroit if Ms. Harris emerged victorious.
During the event, his microphone malfunctioned, and the former president wandered across the stage for approximately 20 minutes.
“I won’t pay for this ridiculous company that rented us this,” Mr. Trump remarked after the audio began working again. “This is the worst microphone I’ve ever had.”
This audio incident occurred just days after Mr. Trump paused during a Pennsylvania town hall event, swaying and dancing to his musical playlist while two audience members fell ill.
After speaking in Grand Rapids, the core of more conservative western Michigan, Ms. Harris traveled east to Lansing and then to Oakland County, which includes suburbs northwest of Detroit. The Midwestern state has around 8.4 million voters and would grant the winner 15 Electoral College votes out of the 270 required to win, making it potentially decisive.
Ms. Harris and Mr. Trump are aggressively competing for the state’s Arab American, senior, union, and working-class voters.
Mr. Obama campaigned in Arizona in support of Kamala Harris
Public and internal campaign polls reveal extremely close races for both Ms. Harris and Mr. Trump in Michigan and other battleground states, raising concerns among Democrats.
Mr. Trump secured Michigan by 11,000 votes in 2016, while in 2020, Mr. Biden defeated him in the state by 155,000 votes.
Ms. Harris is adjusting her campaign strategy to win over more Republicans and men of diverse backgrounds.
She is also enlisting popular former First Lady Michelle Obama, who will be campaigning for Ms. Harris in Michigan on October 26.
“I understand why people are seeking change,” Mr. Obama mentioned at an Arizona campaign event advocating for Ms. Harris.
“What I cannot fathom is why anyone would believe that Donald Trump would provide a change that benefits you,” he added.
Nationally, Ms. Harris’ lead has dwindled from a seven-point advantage over Mr. Trump in late September to just three points now, as high food and rental prices persistently trouble Americans and Trump amplifies concerns regarding migrant crossings at the US-Mexico border with increasingly extreme language.
