Washington: The clock is ticking. With just a month left for the world’s biggest election — amid a growing Middle East conflict that may impact the election’s outcome — US Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump are geared up for D-Day. As November 5 inches closer, opinion polls reflect Republican candidate Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Kamala Harris polling neck and neck.
With candidates needing 270 of the 538 electors to win, the hotly-contested US elections tend to be decided in “swing states" with a history of alternating between Republican and Democratic candidates. This year, there are at least seven such battlegrounds — Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin and Nevada.
According to multiple reports, the biggest swing state this time is Pennsylvania with 19 electoral votes. Local political issues, unique demographics and party campaigns make the contests in some states more competitive. About 240 million people are eligible to vote in this year’s US election, but only a relatively small number of them are likely to decide who becomes the next president.
Based on polling data, it appears like Harris and Trump are virtually tied as the last month of campaigning before Election Day approaches. The next month will see Harris and Trump, along with their running mates — Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Republican Ohio Senator JD Vance — crisscrossing the country.
Voters will be faced with two starkly different choices. Harris, with her campaign slogan "We're Not Going Back," promises to end the divisive politics of the past and focus on creating an "opportunity economy" while championing abortion rights. As the first female, Black, and South Asian vice president, Harris symbolizes progress and the breaking of barriers, though her rapid rise has left many voters still unsure about her policy positions.
On the other side is Trump who has galvanized his right-wing base with his "Make America Great Again" mantra. His supporters enthusiastically embrace his attacks on "Comrade Kamala" and his claims that only he can fix a nation he describes as dystopian. Trump has vowed to rebuild the economy and even jail his political opponents.
The stage is set for a high-stakes showdown on November 5.
