With only 30 days left until the U.S. presidential election day, both candidates have shifted their focus to swing states and made multiple visits.
On October 6th, Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump visited Wisconsin for the fourth time in just over a week. Speaking in Juneau County, Trump stated, “They say Wisconsin may be the hardest swing state to win. I don’t think so.”
His campaign event took place at an airport with a large audience, some even standing on the runway.
Wisconsin voters have begun casting absentee ballots, with early voting set to begin on October 22nd. Trump is encouraging supporters to vote by mail and early to ensure they can “vote in record numbers.”
Wisconsin has historically been a battleground state in presidential elections, with the Republican party only winning the state in 2016 in the past 40 years. A Republican victory here this year could potentially prevent Democratic nominee Kamala Harris from entering the White House.
In 2016, Trump won Wisconsin by less than 23,000 votes against Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, but in 2020, he lost by less than 21,000 votes to Democrat Joe Biden.
Harris held a rally in Madison, Wisconsin in September, attracting over ten thousand supporters.
Last Thursday, she held an event in Ripon, appealing to moderates and dissatisfied conservatives. Ripon is the birthplace of the Republican Party, and the event featured former Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney, one of Trump’s prominent Republican opponents, with banners displaying “Country Over Party”.
Since the Hurricane Helen hit, both Trump and Harris have visited North Carolina and Georgia five times. Trump was in North Carolina last Friday while Harris arrived the following day.
A 20-year-old voter in Valdosta, Georgia, Ella, expressed that the former President had won her vote by demonstrating concern for the disaster-stricken areas and victims, although she was originally leaning towards voting for Trump.
After meeting with Georgia Governor Brian Kemp on Monday, Trump insisted, “I’m not considering voters’ issues now, I’m considering lives.”
He criticized Biden and Harris for their slow response to Hurricane Helen, accusing Democrats of “intentionally not helping people in Republican areas” and claimed that FEMA funding was insufficient due to funds being used on illegal immigrants. However, there is no evidence supporting these accusations.
In response, Biden strongly stated that he aims to be the president for all of America and does not allocate aid based on party lines. The White House cited statements from Republican governors of Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee expressing satisfaction with the federal government’s response.
In the final weeks of the election, the key swing states of North Carolina and Georgia are facing a more pressing issue: widespread storm damage.
Trees have been uprooted, scattered along roadsides, sometimes even blocking lanes. Some homes are inaccessible due to bridge collapses and road failures. Appalachian State University campus has experienced severe flooding.
Residents are concerned about missing friends and family, if they have enough food and water to sustain until new supplies arrive, and how they will rebuild.
Survival, rather than politics, is the focus – a situation that could last for weeks.
(Reference: Reports from the Associated Press)