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Harris and Trump Make Final Push in Battleground States as Election Day Nears

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With only days left until the election, Democratic candidate Kamala Harris campaigned in Michigan on Sunday, while Republican candidate Donald Trump focused on eastern battleground states, hoping to secure votes from key demographics. Polls reveal an intensely close race, with both campaigns uncertain about the outcomes in seven critical states that could decide the election.

Notably, a recent poll suggested Harris is leading in Iowa—a state Trump comfortably won in previous elections—raising the possibility of unexpected results. However, another poll shows her trailing there, indicating that the race remains fluid. In Michigan, a state deemed essential for Democrats, Harris campaigned in East Lansing, a college town with significant electoral weight. However, she faces skepticism from Michigan’s sizable Arab American community, which numbers around 200,000. Many in this group express frustration that the vice president has not done more to address the war in Gaza or reduce U.S. aid to Israel. Trump, who visited Dearborn on Friday, home to Michigan’s Arab American community, pledged to end U.S. involvement in Middle Eastern conflicts.

Trump’s Sunday itinerary includes rallies in three smaller cities: Lititz, Pennsylvania; Kinston, North Carolina; and Macon, Georgia. Each stop targets rural voters, who remain a core part of his base. Notably, it is the first day since last Tuesday that Harris and Trump will not campaign in the same state. On Saturday, their paths intersected in Charlotte, North Carolina, with both candidates holding rallies at the same airport. Harris later appeared on “Saturday Night Live” in a surprise New York appearance.

In her closing campaign messages, Harris has been focused on addressing inflation, promising voters she will tackle the cost-of-living issues that have burdened Americans in recent years. She has also criticized Trump as divisive and dangerous, calling on voters to reject his approach to politics. “We have an opportunity in this election to turn the page on a decade of Donald Trump trying to keep us divided and afraid of each other. We’re done with that,” Harris said in Charlotte.

Trump, on the other hand, has targeted Harris over her role as vice president, pointing to the current administration’s challenges with inflation and immigration. On Saturday in Greensboro, North Carolina, he framed these issues as threats to American stability, declaring that illegal immigrants would only receive “a free ride back home.”

With an estimated 75 million votes already cast, nearly half of the total turnout from the 2020 election, early voting has been robust. However, a clear result may not emerge immediately, as several states, including Pennsylvania, may require additional time to count mail-in ballots.

 

Economic Concerns Drive US Voters, Some Blame Democrats

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For many Americans, the economy is a defining factor in the 2024 presidential election, with many feeling financial strain despite broader economic stability. Voters like Tiesha Blackwell, a former Biden supporter, say rising costs of essentials like food and rent have pushed them towards Donald Trump. Blackwell, a Michigan resident, noted significant price hikes over the past four years, from doubling rent to costly groceries, despite her income improvements.

Economic Recovery and Persistent Cost Concerns

Though the U.S. economy has rebounded strongly post-COVID-19, with high employment, robust consumer spending, and reduced inflation, the cost of living remains a pressure point for many. Prices on everyday items like rent and groceries are considerably higher than in 2019 due to complex issues beyond direct government control, such as supply chain disruptions, labor expenses, and limited market competition. These rising costs resonate especially with voters in swing states, where a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll revealed that 61% feel the economy is on the “wrong track” and 68% believe the cost of living is still too high.

Divergent Economic Policies: Harris and Trump

Democratic nominee Kamala Harris has proposed measures to counter rising costs, including anti-price gouging policies and expanding the child tax credit, aiming to relieve financial pressures. Trump’s proposals center around tariffs on imports, tax cuts on overtime, and mass deportations. Economists warn that Trump’s tariff and immigration policies could further drive up consumer prices. However, Trump holds an edge on economic issues, with 46% of voters favoring his approach over Harris’s 38% in this month’s Reuters poll.

Michael Strain, an economist at the American Enterprise Institute, sympathized with voters’ frustration over inflation, acknowledging that price hikes feel deeply personal. “I feel like somebody punched me in the face and stole a $20 bill out of my wallet,” he noted, describing the palpable impact of restaurant prices on his budget, even though he is critical of Trump’s tariff strategy.

Blackwell supports Trump’s stance on tariffs, believing they may temporarily increase prices but could ultimately benefit American manufacturing and job security.

Michigan’s Critical Role

Harris has devoted significant campaign resources to Michigan, where Democrats face ongoing concerns about rising costs and local industries. Michigan’s economy is growing, with recent federal investments creating job growth and lowering unemployment to a 20-year low. Yet, concerns linger about electric vehicle transitions impacting the auto industry. Democratic strategist Ameshia Cross emphasized that while the Biden administration has created jobs, high costs are hitting voters hard, particularly on basics like housing and food. “All politics is personal,” she said, highlighting the way voters perceive the economy through their daily expenses rather than job statistics.

Young Michigan residents, like Devin Jones, echo these sentiments, recounting how rising costs forced his family to relocate to Indiana to find affordable housing. In Flint, another Michigander, United Auto Workers member Stu Billey, has seen benefits from his union job, which increased his wage significantly. Despite these gains, he notes that while he will support Harris, enthusiasm for her candidacy does not match that for past Democratic figures like Obama or Biden.

As November 5 approaches, economic concerns remain at the forefront of voters’ minds, making affordability and financial security central themes in a highly polarized election.

Pro-Trump PAC Funded by Elon Musk Faces Struggles in Battleground States Ahead of Election

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The political action committee (PAC) funded by billionaire Elon Musk to help re-elect Donald Trump is facing significant challenges in key swing states, with reports of underperformance and claims of canvassers inflating voter contact numbers. The PAC, known as America PAC, is responsible for mobilizing voters in battleground states like Wisconsin and Nevada but is reportedly failing to meet its doorknocking goals, just weeks before the November 5 election.

Several individuals involved in the outreach efforts revealed that canvassers are being warned they are missing crucial voter contact targets. In Wisconsin, for instance, the group had set a goal of reaching 450,000 voters by Election Day, but field organizers recently admitted they are far behind. A recording of an October 8 meeting, reviewed by Reuters, captures a manager stating, “We’re not going to hit 450,000, not with what we’ve got now.”

Alysia McMillan, a former canvasser for the PAC in Wisconsin, voiced concerns that failing to meet these targets could cost Trump the election. McMillan, who was fired after a pay dispute but later rehired by another contractor, claimed, “If this isn’t looked into in a timely manner, this can result in a waste of time and money and risk President Trump winning the election.”

Similar issues have surfaced in other states. In Nevada, Chris Young, a close aide to Musk and a Republican operative, reportedly conducted an audit to investigate whether canvassers had inflated their reported doorknocking efforts. There are concerns that some workers had manipulated smartphone apps to falsify their locations, prompting firings.

Despite these challenges, a source close to the PAC’s operations disputed McMillan’s claims, stating that the group is on track to meet its targets. Audits and routine field checks are standard practice, they said, to ensure the canvassing efforts are progressing as planned.

America PAC’s outreach strategy centers on encouraging “low propensity voters”—those who are likely Trump supporters but may be reluctant to cast their votes—to turn out in large numbers. The group’s work is focused on key battleground states where even a slight shift in voter turnout could determine the outcome in a race that remains too close to call, with polls showing a tight contest between Trump and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.

Musk, currently ranked as the world’s wealthiest individual, has provided at least $75 million to America PAC, according to federal filings. His financial backing is critical to Trump’s 2024 bid to return to the White House. Musk has publicly expressed his support for Trump, and Trump has indicated that he would appoint Musk to lead a government efficiency commission if re-elected.

However, the campaign has been plagued by operational issues, particularly with retaining canvassers. Some canvassers have complained about low pay—starting as low as $20 per hour in some instances—and long hours, often with no reimbursement for travel expenses in remote areas. As a result, retention has been a persistent problem.

In Nevada, the audit led by Young has not yet yielded a public report, and it is unclear if any changes have been made to the canvassing operation. Text messages from managers at Lone Mountain Strategies, one of the contractors hired by the PAC, revealed concerns over canvassers caught cheating by falsifying their doorknocking efforts. “We’ve fired two people today and auditors are going around checking doors for flyers,” one message read.

As Election Day draws nearer, America PAC has ramped up its efforts to recruit more canvassers, advertising pay rates starting at $30 per hour with performance bonuses on its website.