The US Election Countdown newsletter is available at no cost, offering significant stories concerning money and politics in the race for the White House. Kamala Harris and Donald Trump made their final efforts to appeal to undecided voters and rally their supporters in key swing states, as polls indicated a closely contested election within the last 48 hours. Their presidential campaigns were striving for an advantage in a highly competitive White House contest, with both candidates being closely matched in the pivotal states that will determine the outcome of the election.
Harris, after a late-night appearance on the Saturday Night Live show in New York, planned to travel to Michigan to speak at a Black church, visit a restaurant and a barber shop, and attend a large rally. Trump was scheduled to campaign in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia.
During the weekend, the vice-president’s campaign gained momentum from a reputable poll in the traditionally conservative state of Iowa, which showed the Democratic vice-president leading Trump by three percentage points. Trump had previously secured a nine-point lead in Iowa in 2020. As per the Des Moines Register poll, Harris’s increase in support was driven by women, particularly older white women, which could be crucial if reflected throughout the Midwest.
However, other polls released on Sunday indicated a near standstill in the race. The New York Times/Siena poll showed Harris leading in Nevada, North Carolina, Georgia, and Wisconsin, which could be enough for her success but showed a tie in Pennsylvania and Michigan and a deficit in Arizona. The Financial Times’ poll tracker indicated a national lead of 1.2 percentage points for Harris.
Trump stated on Truth Social, his social media platform, early on Sunday, that if Harris wins, the country would face an economic depression akin to 1929 within three days, while a win for him would result in substantial job creation, higher paychecks, and an unmatched economic future.
Trump has focused on voter dissatisfaction with Harris regarding the economy and immigration to gain support for a second term in the White House. Nevertheless, Trump struggled to concentrate on policy issues in the campaign’s final week, instead resorting to personal attacks and inflammatory rhetoric, which Democrats argue could backfire.
On Saturday, Harris expressed confidence in a victory during a speech in Atlanta, highlighting the election’s potential to move past a decade of Donald Trump, who she accused of sowing division and fear.
Harris’s support among women was reinforced by her stance on abortion rights, while Trump’s campaign targeted Black and Latino male voters, groups that do not vote as consistently as others. On Monday, Harris was expected to focus her campaign efforts solely on Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state that Trump won in 2016 but was reclaimed by Democrats in 2020. Trump also planned appearances in Pennsylvania, with a rally scheduled in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to conclude his campaign activities.
