As the U.S. election approaches in just ten days, Vice President Kamala Harris rallied about 20,000 supporters in Georgia, targeting middle-class Americans. She was joined by a star-studded lineup, including musician Bruce Springsteen, former President Barack Obama, filmmaker Spike Lee, and actor Tyler Perry, who came out to show their support.
On the other side, Donald Trump held campaign rallies in Arizona and Nevada. In Arizona, he commented on Harris’s recent CNN town hall, calling her performance “pathetic.” This remark is just one in a series of personal jabs exchanged between the candidates as the election nears.
By Thursday evening, over 30 million voters had already cast their ballots, according to data from the Election Lab at the University of Florida. While early voting has set records in some states, the current numbers are significantly lower than the 100 million early votes cast in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Latest Polling Insights
A recent Financial Times poll revealed that Trump has gained a slight edge over Harris regarding public trust on economic issues, with 44% of respondents favoring Trump compared to 43% for Harris. This indicates a potential stall in Harris’s economic messaging as she faces a tight race against Trump.
Despite this, FiveThirtyEight’s daily election poll tracker shows Harris with a slim lead of 1.7 percentage points nationally as of Wednesday. However, the trend indicates the race is tightening, down from a 1.8-point lead earlier in the week.
Who’s Leading Nationally?
Currently, Harris holds a 1.8-percentage-point lead in national polls. Here’s a snapshot of the latest figures:
While national polls provide a glimpse into voter preferences, the Electoral College ultimately decides the election outcome, based on state-by-state results.
Swing States Under Scrutiny
The election could hinge on seven key swing states: Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin, and Nevada, which together hold 93 Electoral College votes. According to FiveThirtyEight, Harris’s support in Michigan has slightly increased, while she is marginally ahead in Wisconsin. Trump holds a slight lead in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Arizona, and Georgia. In Nevada, both candidates are nearly tied.
However, results from these states fall within the margin of error, indicating that the race is exceedingly close and could shift either way.
Harris’s Campaign Activities
On October 25, Harris campaigned with Obama at an event that featured performances by Springsteen and Perry. Harris concluded the rally by expressing her gratitude to Obama and projecting confidence in her campaign, quoting a certain former president, “Yes we can.” She emphasized her healthcare and economic proposals, advocating for lower costs and supporting small businesses, while denouncing abortion bans as “immoral.” Springsteen, after performing his song "The Promised Land," reiterated his support for Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz.