With two weeks left in the U.S. presidential race, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are in a final push to win key battleground states.
On Monday, Harris, the Democratic Party’s nominee, visited Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin—three crucial “blue wall” states that have traditionally supported Democrats and were vital to the victories of the last two Democratic presidents.
At the same time, Trump, the Republican nominee, campaigned in Asheville, North Carolina. He is concerned that Hurricane Helene’s aftermath might lower voter turnout in what is shaping up to be a tightening race.
Here’s a look at the latest polling data, key campaign highlights, and what’s coming next.
What do the polls say?
Harris and Trump are virtually tied in the seven battleground states that could swing the election, according to a survey published Monday by The Washington Post.
The poll, conducted by The Washington Post and the Schar School, surveyed over 5,000 registered voters in early October. It found that 47 percent of voters back Harris, with an equal 47 percent supporting Trump.
Among likely voters, Harris leads with 49 percent, while Trump closely trails with 48 percent.
This poll comes as Trump’s polling average edged slightly ahead of Harris’s in the aggregate calculations by FiveThirtyEight. However, the margin is so small that the race remains statistically tied.
As of October 21, FiveThirtyEight’s election tracker shows Harris leading in national polls with a 1.8-point advantage over Trump.
In key battleground states—Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Nevada, which account for 51 Electoral College votes—the race is even tighter, with less than half a percentage point separating the two candidates. Winning all four states would almost guarantee the presidency for either Harris or Trump.
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.
