The Presidential Contest: A Nation Divided
WASHINGTON: The dizzying presidential contest between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris hurtled toward an uncertain finish on Tuesday as millions of Americans headed to the polls to choose between two sharply different visions for the country.
A Race Whipsawed by Unprecedented Events
A race whipsawed by unprecedented events – two assassination attempts against Trump, President Joe Biden’s surprise withdrawal and Harris’ rapid rise – remained too close to call, even after billions of dollars in spending and months of frenetic campaigning.
The First Ballots Cast
The first ballots cast on election day mirrored the nationwide divide. Overnight, the six registered voters in the tiny hamlet of Dixville Notch, New Hampshire, split their votes between Harris and Trump in voting just past midnight. Elsewhere on the East Coast, polls began opening at 7 a.m. (1200 GMT) in more than two dozen states.
Trump’s Campaign Strategy
Trump’s campaign has suggested he may declare victory on election night even while millions of ballots have yet to be counted, just as he did four years ago. The former president has repeatedly said any defeat could only stem from widespread fraud, echoing his false claims from 2020. The winner may not be known for days if the margins in key states are as slim as expected.
No Matter Who Wins, History Will Be Made
No matter who wins the White House, history will be made. Harris, 60, the first female vice president, would become the first woman, Black woman and South Asian American to win the presidency. Trump, 78, the only president to be impeached twice and the first former president to be criminally convicted, would also become the first president to win non-consecutive terms in more than a century.
Opinion Polls and the Gender Gap
Opinion polls in the campaign’s final days have shown the candidates running neck-and-neck in each of the seven states likely to determine the winner: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Reuters/Ipsos polling shows a significant gender gap, with Harris leading among women by 12 percentage points and Trump winning among men by 7 percentage points.
A Deeply Polarized Nation
The contest reflects a deeply polarized nation whose divisions have only grown starker during a fiercely competitive race. Trump has employed increasingly dark and apocalyptic rhetoric on the campaign trail. Harris has urged Americans to come together, while also warning that a second Trump term would threaten the very underpinnings of American democracy.
Control of Congress
Control of both chambers of Congress is also up for grabs. Republicans have an easier path in the U.S. Senate, where Democrats are defending several seats in Republican-leaning states, while the House of Representatives looks like a toss-up.
The Candidates’ Campaign Strategies
The candidates spent the final weekend barnstorming the swing states in search of every available vote. Trump staged his final rally on Monday evening in Grand Rapids, Michigan, while Harris held twin rallies in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. More than 80 million Americans had already voted before Tuesday, either via mail or in person, according to the University of Florida Election Lab.
Dark Rhetoric and the Economy
During the campaign, Trump hammered first Biden and then Harris for their handling of the economy, which polls show is at the top of voters’ concerns despite low unemployment and cooling inflation. But he showed a characteristic inability to stay on message, at one point questioning Harris’ Black identity and vowing to protect women "whether they like it or not." His unbridled approach seemed designed to fire up his supporters, rather than expand his appeal.
Conclusions and Future Prospects
Tuesday’s vote follows one of the most turbulent half-years in modern American politics. In May, a New York jury found Trump guilty of falsifying business records to hide hush money payments to a porn star. Four weeks later, Trump and Biden met for their only debate, where the incumbent president delivered a disastrous performance that supercharged voters’ existing concerns about his mental acuity. In July, Trump narrowly escaped a would-be assassin’s bullet at a Pennsylvania rally, just before the Republican National Convention. Barely a week later, Biden exited the race, bowing to pressure from Democratic leaders. Harris’ entry into the race re-energized her party, and she raised more than $1 billion in less than three months while erasing Trump’s lead over Biden in public polls.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What are the key issues in this presidential election?
A: The economy, the role of the government, and the direction of the country are among the key issues in this election.
Q: What are the current polling numbers?
A: The candidates are running neck-and-neck in each of the seven states likely to determine the winner.
Q: What are the stakes of this election?
A: The winner of this election will shape the direction of the country for the next four years and potentially have a lasting impact on the nation’s politics, economy, and culture.
Q: What are the potential outcomes of this election?
A: The outcome of this election is uncertain, and it is possible that the winner may not be known for days or even weeks after the election.