With just two weeks until the U.S. presidential election, both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are racing to capture every vote in battleground states—and the competition is heating up. Trump has taken the lead in every key swing state, according to polling averages from RealClearPolitics, edging out Harris by slim margins in crucial spots like Arizona, Georgia, and Pennsylvania.
His campaign is riding a wave of momentum, as polls show the former president pulling ahead, particularly in states like Georgia (+1.7) and Michigan (+0.9). Despite Harris still holding a narrow national lead of 49.2% to Trump’s 47.9%, Trump is favored to win 219 electoral votes compared to Harris’s 215, with 104 votes still listed as toss-ups. Betting markets are also leaning toward Trump, with Polymarket putting him ahead at 59.9% to Harris’s 40.1%.
While Trump is dominating in polling, Harris has also seen some bright spots. In Michigan, early voting among Black Americans is up 2.6% from 2020. While Harris has struggled to gain as much traction with minority voters as past Democratic candidates, strong turnout in places like Detroit could still swing Michigan her way. And with 12 million Americans having already cast their ballots, Democrats are hoping that the early voting surge will translate into electoral success.
On the campaign trail, Trump’s and Harris’s strategies couldn’t be more different. Trump, never one to shy away from a spectacle, made headlines in Pennsylvania by visiting a McDonald’s, where he donned an apron and cooked french fries for his supporters. The visit was intended to mock Harris’s claim that she once worked at the fast-food chain during her college years—an assertion Trump has repeatedly questioned without providing evidence.
A Brazilian immigrant to President Trump at McDonald’s:
“Mr. President, please don’t let the United States become Brazil!”
That about sums up exactly what we’re fighting for. Absolutely incredible moment.
pic.twitter.com/wuk5ZK5Dwz— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) October 20, 2024
The crowd of Trump supporters outside the McDonald’s loved it, with thousands lining the streets to catch a glimpse of the former president serving fries and cracking jokes. “I’m having a lot of fun here,” Trump said, making light of the moment while continuing to hammer Harris on policy.
Meanwhile, Harris took a more traditional route, visiting churches in Georgia to shore up support from the Black community. At New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, she gave a rousing speech, calling for unity and contrasting her vision of compassion with the divisiveness she sees in the current political climate. She refrained from directly naming Trump in her remarks but made it clear that the stakes of this election are high. “What kind of country do we want to live in?” she asked the congregation, urging them to vote for a future of “freedom, compassion, and justice.”
But the campaign trail wasn’t without its barbs. In an MSNBC interview with Al Sharpton, Harris responded to Trump’s earlier comments in Pennsylvania where he had insulted her, calling her a “sh*t vice president.” Harris didn’t hold back, telling Sharpton that “the American people deserve so much better” and highlighting the need for change.
WATCH: Kamala Harris mocks a rallygoer, suggesting they do not belong at her rally after they profess that Jesus is Lord.
Minutes later, she tries to convince people of faith that they don’t have to “abandon their faith” or pro-life values on the issue of abortion. pic.twitter.com/u6ykfLka2p
— Faith & Freedom (@FaithandFreedom) October 19, 2024
The race isn’t just about rallying the base—both candidates are scrambling to win over undecided voters in key states like Michigan and Pennsylvania. Harris celebrated her 60th birthday on Sunday with a campaign stop in Atlanta, where Stevie Wonder performed and urged the crowd to support her campaign. The vice president emphasized the importance of earning the vote, particularly from Black men, a demographic where she has struggled to gain traction.
As the candidates crisscross battleground states, one thing is clear: both are leaving it all on the field. Trump is capitalizing on his polling surge, while Harris calls for ‘unity.’ Whether Trump’s fast-food theatrics or Harris’s church visits will tip the scales remains to be seen, but one thing is certain—this election is shaping up to be a fight to the finish.
