Many U.S. citizens are in the process of deciding who should be their next President. An example of this decision-making can be found in Allison McCullough, a 43-year-old pediatric nurse, and mother of two, whose allegiance has always lain with the Democrats. However, McCullough intends to make a radical shift due to her dissatisfaction with the conflict in Gaza. Similarly, a man in his thirties, John Doty, had initially supported Trump for his toughness that is until his family’s experiences shook this admiration.
Doty lost faith in Trump when a heartbreaking incident ensued — his mother-in-law, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, was taken away by authorities. Doty currently resides in North Carolina, a strategic playing field where both political parties have heavily invested in swaying the public sentiment. Trump and Kamala Harris will both be visiting again this week, this being the second time in the same week they have targeted North Carolina to garner support.
Republicans are treating North Carolina like a key political chess piece, one that they cannot afford to lose. They are making every effort to combat the surge of Democratic activity aiming for a surprise victory. According to recent polls, the competition has been fierce, with either party’s win likely to be by the slimmest of margins — a virtual tie. Scorecards have consistently shown Harris leading narrowly against Trump nationally, since she threw her hat in the ring at the end of July.
The precarious sentiments of the swing states at this time make it impossible to determine any clear frontrunner from the average results of current polls. Both candidates will spend part of their day in these key swing states. Trump has planned a rally in Gastonia, North Carolina, after which he will head to a campaign event in Salem, Virginia, in the evening. Meanwhile, Kamala Harris has an afternoon rally planned in Atlanta, Georgia.
After her Georgia rally, Harris plans to proceed to Charlotte, North Carolina, for an evening of campaigns and concerts. Speaking of rallies, Trump’s recent one in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at the Fiserv Forum, gave a brief into the Republican presidential nominee’s thought process. He addressed the voters with compelling questions such as, ‘Are you better off now than you were four years ago?’, promising an end to inflation and revival of the American dream.
Trump also reiterated his plan to impose tariffs, calling it ‘the most beautiful word in the whole dictionary’. Adding an element of fear-mongering, he further posed a scenario to his supporters: a 1929-style depression, if Kamala were to triumph. Harris and Trump commanded separate stages in Wisconsin, a strategic battleground, last Friday.
Wisconsin has seen a close call in four out of the last six presidential elections, often decided by less than a single point or by a narrow margin of 23,000 votes. Specialists have earmarked certain ‘swing’ states that could realistically swing to either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump’s favor. These states, namely – Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin are regarded as the gatekeepers to the White House.
It certainly was a captivating evening last night, with both Trump and Harris seeking to win hearts in the swing state of Wisconsin. North Carolina, one of the seven swing states, could play a decisive role in electing the next President, thus making it a primary target for both Trump and Harris in the concluding weekend before the election.
With a population of 10.7 million and the opportunity to secure 16 electoral college votes (from a total of 538), North Carolina’s importance cannot be overemphasized. There have also been discussions around the economy, acknowledging the need for it to gain more strength and address the rising cost of living.
In a recent address, Kamala voiced her intentions to make the economy a priority, looking to bring down the ‘cost of living’. However, such plans come across as merely vacuous promises aimed at seducing the voting public. The cost of living is undeniably a significant area of concern in this election, especially as many households are grappling with a near 20% hike in prices over the last four years.
Nonetheless, it’s crucial to remember the economic strides made under Trump’s administration pre-pandemic, and consider how his policies may serve America in regaining its economic stability. Although liberals like Harris may attempt to weaponize this issue against him, conservative approaches have historically proven to be effective in ensuring steady economic progress.
When deciding who to vote for, Americans will inevitably consider not just the promises made during the campaign, but the policies successfully implemented during the candidate’s tenure. In this consideration, Trump’s accomplishments should stand out. Anticipating the question ‘Are you better off now than you were four years ago?’, many might find that under Trump’s administration, they were indeed better off.
However, it’s important to separate reality from clever politicking. A candidate can promise to address the cost of living, but effective and sustainable action is a vastly different beast. The true test remains whether one can deliver on these promises. In light of this, it would be wise for voters keen on maintaining a strong, resilient America to consider Trump’s track record in driving economic progress and stability.