Bitter rivals, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump embarked on a final campaign blitz Monday with both hitting must-win Pennsylvania on the last day of the tightest and most volatile US presidential election in memory.
Republican Trump has promised a “landslide” as he seeks a sensational return to the White House while Democrat Harris said the “momentum” was on the side of her bid to be America’s first woman president.
But the polls suggest a different story on the eve of Election Day – total deadlock in surveys nationally and in the seven swing states where the result is expected to be decided.
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Pennsylvania is the single biggest swing state prize under the US Electoral College system, which awards influence in line with population.
Both sides say they are encouraged by huge early turnout numbers, with over 78 million people having voted already, around half of the total number of ballots cast in 2020.
Former President Trump is in his pursuit of a second term, which would make him the first convicted felon and, at 78, the oldest major party candidate ever elected.
Vice President Harris meanwhile is hoping abortion is a key issue that can hurt Trump, especially with women voters, while Trump has focused on migrants and the economy and dubbed political opponents the “enemy from within.”
They have both embarked on a frenetic zig-zag through the swing states, with raucous rallies and even an appearance by Harris on the famed television show “Saturday Night Live.”
“Kamala – you’re fired, get out,” Trump told cheering supporters in Macon, Georgia.
Trump also said he “shouldn’t have left” the White House after he lost his 2020 reelection bid to Biden, and then tried to overturn the results, culminating in the January 6, 2021 assault on the US Capitol.
Fears are mounting that he would again refuse to accept defeat.
For Harris’s part, after a series of more encouraging recent polls, she told a raucous rally in Michigan on Sunday that “we have momentum – it’s on our side.”
Harris also courted the large Arab-American community in Michigan that has denounced the US handling of the Israel-Hamas war, saying she would do “Everything in my power to end the war in Gaza.”
The world is anxiously watching the election, which could have profound implications for conflicts in the Middle East and Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The final days of the campaign have meanwhile seen both candidates roll out high-profile surrogates.
Right-wing tech tycoon Elon Musk has been making controversial $1 million giveaways to registered voters, while Harris has relied on the star power of former president Barack Obama and ex-First Lady Michelle Obama and singer Beyonce.
Khuraira Musa, a Nigerian-American Democratic voter, expressed her concerns about Trump’s Project 2025 agenda, which she believes will negatively impact black communities, immigrants, climate change, and women.
“I’m apprehensive,” she said during a phone interview with Daily Trust on Monday. “I’ve even volunteered to go to battleground states to help Democratic voters who lack transportation get to polling stations. Many other Democrats across the country are doing the same.”
When asked about the overall atmosphere as Americans prepared to vote, Khuraira, who has been voting for nearly three decades and resides in New Jersey, said there was anxiety on all sides.
Pre-election turnout is massive in all states, but the key swing states-Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin-will ultimately determine the winner of the 2024 election.
According to NBC polls on Monday, in a slightly more favourable environment for Republicans-characterised by increased turnout among men, white voters, and those without college degrees-Trump leads Harris by 2 points, 50%-48%.
However, in a more favourable environment for Democrats, with higher turnout among women, college-educated white voters, and voters of colour, Harris leads Trump by 3 points.
Khuraira refuted suggestions that Black voters are shifting their support toward Trump, citing recent polls. “This is untrue,” she said. “According to NBC polling released less than 24 hours ago, he has only 9% support from Black voters this time, compared to 12% in 2020 during President Biden’s campaign, while VP Kamala Harris has 87% support from Black voters.”
As a Nigerian-American Democratic voter, Khuraira reiterated her concern about Trump’s agenda. “I worry that Project 2025 will adversely affect Black communities, immigrants, climate change, and women. That’s why I’m committed to helping Democratic voters reach polling stations.”
She highlighted the differences in immigration policies between the candidates, noting that Trump intends to continue mass deportations, which could impact undocumented Africans in the U.S.
In contrast, she pointed out that Harris is advocating for a pathway to citizenship for those who have been living in the U.S. irregularly but have not committed any crimes.
