With only hours remaining before official voting begins in the U.S. election, Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and Republican candidate Donald Trump are vying for as many undecided votes as possible.
While Trump is banking on Texas, a state that has voted Republican since the 1970s, Harris is focusing on Pennsylvania, which played a key role in Joe Biden’s victory over Trump in the previous election, according to journalists following the candidates’ campaigns. Despite Harris and Trump being neck-and-neck in recent polls, such as one conducted by The Hill in collaboration with Emerson College, each candidate has a specific demographic they believe could swing the vote in their favor. Both have flooded social media with efforts to attract voters just before voting starts.
In Pennsylvania, which has 19 electoral votes, Wajd Waqfi reported that Harris spoke on Sunday about the difficulties Arabs and Muslims have faced over the past year due to Israel’s war on Gaza. She promised to do everything possible to end the war and bring stability to the region if she wins the election.
Focus on Pennsylvania and North Carolina
Waqfi also noted that Harris is concentrating on women and minority voters, including Muslim, Latino, and African American communities, having observed that most white male votes in the state are likely going to Trump.
In North Carolina, a traditionally Republican stronghold, Trump continued his campaign for a third consecutive day, recognizing that a loss here would likely mean losing the election. Trump is also focusing on Pennsylvania and Michigan (with its significant Western majority), where he is attempting to sway the Arab vote by appealing to anger over Joe Biden’s stance on the war.
Trump reiterated his claims about Democrats planning to rig the election and demanded that results be announced by 8 p.m. on Election Day—a statement that raised concerns among security authorities, according to Fadi Mansour.
While both candidates are trying to win Arab and Muslim votes in Michigan, this demographic is reportedly less inclined to support Harris due to the Biden administration’s position on the war in Gaza, according to Ahmed Hazim. Because of this hesitance, Hazim noted that Harris is focusing on African American voters, who make up 21% of the state’s voters, as an alternative to Arab votes. Harris also appealed to Arabs by speaking of her intent to end the war, while Trump enlisted members of the Arab community to campaign for him.
Harris is primarily targeting Black Americans and union members in Michigan, particularly workers in production and automotive factories who strongly supported Biden in the last election, Hazim added.
In Wisconsin, both vice-presidential candidates are holding rallies focused on undecided voters, with former President Barack Obama attending an event on Sunday urging voters to support Harris.
According to journalist Murad Hashem, both candidates are focusing on undecided voters and minority groups, particularly young Latinos, Arabs, and Muslims who are aligned with the Palestinian cause.
In Georgia, the state secretary held a press conference emphasizing the commitment to transparency and a swift announcement of results, a point of contention in the last election that even led to court battles after Trump, then President, communicated with the state secretary.
Anas al-Sabar reported that pro-Palestine supporters gathered in parts of the state, declaring their refusal to vote for either candidate.
A Few Votes Will Decide the Victory
As for Texas, Trump holds a five-point lead over Harris, as reported Maysa al-Fatnassi. She noted that the state, which hasn’t voted for a Democratic candidate since the 1970s, still leans toward Trump, driven by significant interest in the issue of immigration.
Commenting on last-minute developments, election analyst Jane Card, a Republican, said, “Trump is relying on the boldness that took him to the White House before, and he believes it will take him there again.” Card added that Trump is less concerned with media opinions about his methods or rhetoric and is more focused on saying and doing what he knows will please his voters.
Card noted, “There are things some people don’t want to hear, but Trump’s approach and words satisfy a large segment of voters, regardless of what the media or analysts say.”
In contrast, Democratic analyst Sameh al-Hadi said Harris is concentrating on securing Pennsylvania to clinch the race, and her campaign has “allocated all resources to secure this state, knocking on a million doors to explain the importance of voting for her.”
Regarding her stance on the war, al-Hadi mentioned that Harris’s statement about intending to end the war is not new but is an attempt to sway undecided voters in the final moments.
Separately, analyst Yasmin Jamal, a former Pentagon employee, described the election as complex, noting that the level of division on numerous issues is “very high.” She expressed her belief that the election outcome “will depend on a small number of voters in a few swing states, such as Pennsylvania.”
AL JAZEERA + ELKHABARIYA
-
-
-
