In a weekend set to intensify the battle for the White House, former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are making crucial campaign stops in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state, as new polling data shows Harris gaining significant momentum ahead of the Democratic National Convention.
Trump is scheduled to hold a rally in the small town of Wilkes-Barre on Saturday, while Harris will tour several locations around Pittsburgh on Sunday, culminating in her attendance at the convention in Chicago.
The dynamics of the race have shifted dramatically since President Joe Biden’s unexpected withdrawal from the race on July 21. Harris’s entry into the race has reinvigorated the Democratic base, bringing renewed energy to the party.
A recent poll conducted by the New York Times and Siena College, released on Saturday, indicates that Harris is gaining ground in four key battleground states where Trump had previously held a comfortable lead against Biden. The poll suggests that Harris is now ahead in Arizona and North Carolina and narrowing the gap in Nevada and Georgia.
The Trump campaign is under pressure to counter Harris’s surge, with Saturday’s rally in Wilkes-Barre seen as a critical moment for the former president to regain momentum. Trump has recently faced criticism for a series of low-energy events at his Florida resort and a golf club he owns in New Jersey.
Trump’s campaign has focused on issues such as immigration and inflation, but his recent speeches have been dominated by personal attacks on Harris, which could alienate undecided and independent voters crucial to his success in the November 5 election.
“Hard-working Americans are suffering because of the Harris-Biden administration’s dangerously liberal policies,” a statement from Trump’s campaign said ahead of the rally. “Prices are excruciatingly high, the cost of living has soared, crime has skyrocketed, and illegal immigrants are pouring into our country.”
However, a recent crackdown on the U.S.-Mexico border has significantly reduced the flow of undocumented workers and asylum seekers.
In remarks to reporters on Thursday, Trump defended his personal attacks on Harris, calling them justified and continuing to question her intelligence, attack her racial identity, and label her a “communist.”
With the race tightening, Pennsylvania is expected to play a pivotal role in determining the outcome under the U.S. electoral college system. Trump narrowly lost the state to Biden in 2020 but maintains strong support in rural areas and small towns.
A separate New York Times/Siena poll last week showed Harris slightly ahead in Pennsylvania and two other northern battleground states, Michigan and Wisconsin. Harris aims to maintain her poll momentum as she heads into the Chicago convention, which will feature speeches from party leaders, including Biden and former President Barack Obama. Harris is expected to close the convention on Thursday with a speech formally accepting the party’s nomination.
Focus on the Economy
With election day fast approaching, Harris is distancing herself from unpopular Biden policies while attempting to counter Trump’s narrative that she is a liberal extremist.
The economy has become a central issue in the campaign. Trump accused Harris on Thursday of having a “very strong communist lean” that he claimed would bring about the “death of the American dream.”
In response, Harris unveiled a series of proposals in North Carolina on Friday aimed at alleviating the economic burdens of post-pandemic inflation. She acknowledged the current economic growth while noting that “many Americans don’t yet feel that progress in their daily lives.”
“Donald Trump fights for billionaires and large corporations,” Harris said. “I will fight to give money back to working- and middle-class Americans.”
