Kamala Harris and her rival Donald Trump are both hitting key battleground states Sunday, seeking last-minute advantages in a closely contested presidential race. New polling reveals that Harris is underperforming with some traditional Democratic voter groups.
Harris was campaigning in North Carolina, a state recently devastated by a hurricane that left over 235 people dead across the southeastern US. She aimed to counter Trump’s claims that the federal response to the disaster has been inadequate. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden was in Florida assessing the damage from Hurricane Milton, highlighting the federal government’s commitment to relief efforts.
With just 23 days remaining until the November 5 election, Trump and his running mate, Senator J.D. Vance, are bringing the federal disaster response to the forefront of their campaign. Speaking on ABC’s This Week, Vance suggested that Trump’s criticism reflects how many Americans feel abandoned by their government.
Biden, during his visit to Florida, toured storm-damaged areas in Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg, describing the devastation as “cataclysmic.” However, he noted that the situation could have been much worse. “In moments like this, we come together, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans,” Biden said.
Trump, in contrast, was set to hold a rally in Arizona, focusing on his strict border policies and continuing his aggressive rhetoric about migrants. The day before, he held a roundtable with Latino leaders in Nevada, another crucial swing state with a significant Hispanic population.
New polling data shows Harris struggling to retain Latino voters, with many shifting towards Trump despite his hardline stance on immigration. The latest New York Times/Siena College poll indicates Harris receiving only 56 percent of the Latino vote, compared to Trump’s 37 percent, a 19-point margin. This contrasts with Biden’s 26-point advantage in 2020 and Hillary Clinton’s 39-point lead in 2016.
While Harris holds a strong lead among women, particularly women of color, she is facing challenges with Black male voters, a growing number of whom are leaning towards Trump. Trump’s controversial comments about Harris, including his July remark that she “happened to turn Black,” have sparked concern among Democrats.
House Democrat James Clyburn acknowledged this issue, telling CNN’s State of the Union, “Yes, I am concerned about Black men staying home or voting for Trump.” In an apparent appeal to Black voters, Harris visited Greenville, North Carolina, where African-American students held a historic civil rights sit-in at a segregated lunch counter in 1960.
Polling shows Harris and Trump neck and neck in several swing states that could decide the election. An NBC News poll released Sunday shows both candidates tied at 48 percent nationally.
“As summer has turned to fall, any signs of momentum for Kamala Harris have stopped,” said Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt, who conducted the survey alongside Republican pollster Bill McInturff. “The race is a dead heat.”
On Monday, both Harris and Trump are scheduled to campaign in Pennsylvania, the largest swing state prize. Additionally, former President Bill Clinton, a key Harris surrogate, was on the campaign trail Sunday in battleground Georgia, speaking at a historic Black church.