On Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris confidently stated that the United States is “absolutely” ready to elect its first woman president but tempered her historic bid by focusing on her campaign’s broader goal: moving past the divisiveness of Donald Trump’s tenure. With Election Day just two weeks away, the race has grown increasingly intense, with Harris and Trump vying for an edge in swing states through rallies, media appearances, and podcasts. Polls suggest the race is virtually tied, raising the stakes as both campaigns saturate key regions in hopes of winning over undecided voters.
During an interview on NBC, Harris affirmed America’s readiness for female leadership but stressed that her candidacy was about “turning the page” from the Trump era. “People are exhausted with Donald Trump and his approach because it’s all about himself,” she said, echoing the frustrations of voters who desire a change in political climate.
In contrast, Trump presented a defiant and combative tone at a rally in North Carolina, where he urged voters to view the election as a choice between continued “incompetence” and ushering in what he claimed could be the “four greatest years” in the country’s history. He repeatedly attacked Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, even calling them “stupid” during his speech, a tactic aimed at rallying his core supporters.
The race has been overshadowed by extraordinary political tensions, fears of violence, and concerns that Trump may refuse to accept the election results if he loses, as he did following his defeat in 2020 to President Joe Biden. Harris acknowledged the possibility of Trump prematurely claiming victory during what could be a prolonged vote-counting process and said her campaign was “of course” ready for such a scenario.
President Biden, although not heavily involved in Harris’s campaign, took aim at Trump during a visit to New Hampshire. In a pointed reference to Trump’s infamous “Lock her up” chant directed at Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election, Biden quipped that “we got to lock him up” – quickly clarifying that he meant to “politically lock him up.”
With Trump facing multiple pending criminal charges, his legal troubles have become a defining issue in the election. However, the Biden administration has been careful to avoid publicly commenting on Trump’s legal challenges, leaving it to the courts and the political process to play out. Trump’s campaign has seized on these legal woes to fuel a narrative of political persecution, accusing the Biden-Harris team of having “a plan all along… to politically persecute their opponent.”
As Election Day approaches, the dynamic between Harris’s message of renewal and Trump’s calls for a return to his style of leadership has underscored the sharply polarized nature of the race. Both candidates will continue to saturate swing states with rallies and media appearances as they push for last-minute momentum in what has become an unpredictable and high-stakes election.
