Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump are set to visit North Carolina on Saturday, aiming to secure support in this crucial southeastern battleground just days ahead of Tuesday’s U.S. presidential election.
This will mark the fourth consecutive day that Vice President Harris and former President Trump appear in the same state, highlighting the importance of the seven key states that are expected to decide the election, which current polls suggest is tightly contested.
Over 70 million Americans have already cast their votes, according to the University of Florida’s Election Lab. Though early voting is slightly below the record-breaking levels of 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, it still reflects high voter enthusiasm.
Saturday also marks the final day of early voting in North Carolina, where over 3.8 million ballots have been cast. The state’s western region continues to recover from the devastating floods caused by Hurricane Helene.
Harris is scheduled to appear alongside rock star Jon Bon Jovi in Charlotte, the largest city in North Carolina. North Carolina, tied with Georgia, offers 16 electoral votes, making it one of the most valuable swing states. Trump won North Carolina in 2020, while the state simultaneously elected a Democratic governor, a split that gives both parties hope.
At a Friday rally in Janesville, Wisconsin, Harris told supporters, “We have an opportunity in this election to turn the page on a decade of Donald Trump, who has focused on dividing Americans.”
Trump is set to rally in Gastonia, west of Charlotte, at noon (1600 GMT) before returning to the state for an evening speech at the 22,000-seat First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro. On Friday, he told Michigan supporters, “This election is a choice between four more years of failure or the four greatest years in our country’s history.”
Policy Differences
Harris and Trump present sharply contrasting views on key issues, including support for Ukraine and NATO, abortion rights, immigration, taxes, democratic principles, and trade tariffs.
They were both in North Carolina on Wednesday, Nevada on Thursday, and Wisconsin on Friday, often holding events within a few miles of each other, underscoring the intense focus on persuading a small number of undecided voters in these pivotal states.
Trump is also scheduled to visit Salem, Virginia, on Saturday, despite polls showing Harris with a comfortable lead there.
Harris will also be in Georgia, another swing state, on Saturday, with appearances by film director Spike Lee and singer Victoria Monet. In 2020, President Joe Biden narrowly won Georgia, marking the first Democratic victory there since 1992.
Democrats are counting on strong support from Black voters to replicate Biden’s success, with Black residents comprising just over 12% of Georgia’s population. The state’s nearly 19% Hispanic population is also a key demographic in the race, with Trump holding a slight 1.6-point lead over Harris, according to FiveThirtyEight.
In the final push, Harris’s campaign plans to hold simultaneous organizing events across all seven battleground states on Monday to mobilize voters, as confirmed by a senior campaign official.
