With just ten days remaining until Election Day, the race for the White House is intensifying between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.
As both candidates ramp up their campaigning efforts across pivotal battleground states, the latest polls reveal a closely contested battle that could sway in any direction.
Polls indicate neck-and-neck race
A recent national poll conducted by the New York Times and Siena College between October 20 and 23, 2024, shows both candidates locked in a tie, each garnering 48 percent of voter support. The remaining 4 percent of respondents remain undecided.
The poll highlights stark demographic divides: Harris leads among likely female voters, capturing 54 percent compared to Trump’s 42 percent. However, the former president compensates for this gap with a significant advantage among male voters, securing 55 percent to Harris’s 41 percent.
Age demographics also tell an interesting story, with Harris commanding 55 percent of voters aged 18 to 29, while Trump holds a lead among those aged 45 to 64, attracting 51 percent of their support. Yet, there’s a worrying trend for Harris: 61 percent of respondents believe the country is heading in the wrong direction, while only 27 percent feel it is on the right track.
According to the FiveThirtyEight poll tracker, Harris maintains a slim lead with 48 percent to Trump’s 46.6 percent; however, this lead has shrunk from 1.8 percent earlier in the week. Ultimately, the victor will be determined by the Electoral College, which relies heavily on individual state outcomes.
Key battlegrounds
The seven crucial swing states—Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin—are set to play a decisive role in the election, collectively accounting for 93 Electoral College votes, nearly a third of the 270 needed to secure victory. FiveThirtyEight’s latest data shows Trump with a slight edge in North Carolina (1 percent) and Arizona and Georgia (2 percent). Notably, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin are all within less than half a percentage point, underscoring how close the race is.
Harris hits campaign trail
On Friday, Harris campaigned in Houston, Texas, alongside prominent musicians Beyoncé Knowles and Kelly Rowland, as well as country legend Willie Nelson. During her remarks, she emphasized her commitment to protecting abortion rights, aiming to resonate with female voters disenchanted with Trump’s policies. Although Texas has not supported a Democratic presidential candidate since 1976, Harris is leveraging the state's stringent anti-abortion laws as a backdrop for her campaign messages.
Trump’s strategy and outreach
Trump, too, focused on Texas on Friday, recording an episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” one of America’s most popular podcasts, which boasts millions of followers. His lengthy interview touched on his controversial ideas about tax reform, suggesting a replacement of income tax with tariffs.
Later, he rallied supporters in Traverse City, Michigan, where he addressed the Arab American community's concerns. According to an Arab News/YouGov poll released recently, Trump leads Harris 45 percent to 43 percent among Arab Americans, with many community members dissatisfied with the Biden administration's stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict. “Kamala is also in total free fall with the Arab and Muslim population in Michigan,” Trump asserted during his speech, criticizing Harris’s partnerships and policies.
In the coming days, both candidates will be on the move. Harris is scheduled to campaign in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on Saturday alongside former First Lady Michelle Obama, marking Michelle’s first appearance on the campaign trail for Harris. This event coincides with the start of early voting in Michigan, a crucial opportunity to galvanize support.
Meanwhile, Trump will hold multiple events in Pennsylvania after starting his day with a rally in Michigan. His running mate, JD Vance, will also make campaign stops across Georgia and Pennsylvania, underscoring the heightened urgency as Election Day approaches.
As the election draws near, both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are pulling out all the stops to sway undecided voters and solidify their bases. With polls indicating a tight race and critical swing states poised to determine the outcome, the final days of campaigning will be crucial in shaping the future of the United States.
