Since early voting began, former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has been continuously telling his supporters at campaign rallies that he is clearly leading and poised for an overwhelming victory over Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump also warned that only election fraud would derail this victory, claiming to have found fraud in Pennsylvania.
With less than 5 days until Election Day on November 5th, both parties have engaged in multiple legal battles in Pennsylvania. In a stark contrast to the 2020 election strategy, Trump and his campaign team encouraged supporters to vote early, whether in person or by mail, to avoid the last-minute rush on Election Day.
At a large campaign rally in Atlanta on October 28th, Trump proclaimed, “We are leading in all polls now.” He urged his supporters to vote early to ensure that the turnout was too significant to manipulate. At another rally in North Carolina on the 30th, Trump expressed higher enthusiasm for this year’s election compared to the 2016 or 2020 campaigns.
Most polls currently indicate a neck-to-neck race between Trump and Harris, with a slight advantage for Trump in some models. The founder of the “Cook Political Report,” Charlie Cook, stated that in a neck-to-neck race, polls cannot accurately determine a leader when both candidates are evenly matched.
Longtime political leaders have always made optimistic predictions of victory to rally supporters, with both Democrats and Republicans doing so. Harris also confidently declared, “No doubt: we will win,” at a rally in North Carolina on October 30th.
Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, is now one of Trump’s public supporters and largest donors, providing a significant information hub for Republican voters on his platform. Musk claimed that Trump is trending towards an overwhelming victory in key Pennsylvania.
Online betting markets are giving Trump higher chances of winning than mainstream polls and analysts, further fueling his popularity. According to data from the political betting platform Polymarket on November 1st, Trump’s chances of victory stand at 63%, while Harris’s chances are at 37%. However, the platform also shows Harris having a 62% chance of winning the popular vote, with Trump at 38%.
Trump’s allies are embracing the momentum in his favor, with Representative Jim Jordan from Ohio, one of Trump’s staunchest allies in Congress, expressing confidence in Trump’s victory based on national polls, swing states, and early voting data, all favoring the President.
When asked about confidence in the fairness of the election, Jordan stated, “I believe the President will win.”
Trump and his allies are targeting Pennsylvania once again, a critical battleground state in the presidential election. With 19 electoral votes, Pennsylvania holds the most among the 7 swing states. This makes Pennsylvania a top priority in the campaign.
One of the hotspots in Pennsylvania is early voting procedures, with concerns raised over potential fraud and voter suppression. Trump’s campaign team is closely monitoring election officials in the state for any misconduct, administrative errors, or potential cheating.
On the morning of the 30th, Trump posted on his platform, “Pennsylvania is cheating and caught, on a scale never seen before.” He continued on the 31st, “We caught them cheating massively in Pennsylvania. It must be announced immediately and prosecuted! Who would’ve thought our country is so corrupt?”
Both Republican and Democratic election officials in Pennsylvania have reiterated that the state’s elections are secure and reliable. However, Trump’s campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated that their integrity team has identified instances of real voter fraud and voter suppression, ensuring that all Americans can have a safe and reliable election, regardless of their voting preferences.
In response to challenges faced by Bucks County voters lining up to apply and submit mail-in ballots, Trump’s campaign successfully sued to extend the deadline for in-person submission of mail-in ballots to November 1st.
RNC Co-Chair Michael Whatley announced that Trump’s campaign had filed a significant lawsuit against Bucks County, alleging that voters requesting mail-in ballots were “forcibly removed” and denied ballots. Local officials reassured that rejected voters could still apply for and receive ballots either online or in person.
Pennsylvania’s initial deadline for applying for mail-in ballots was October 29th. Bucks County officials stated that they had to cut off the long lines as they couldn’t serve every voter before the 5 PM deadline on the same day.
The campaign spokesperson reiterated that Trump’s accusations were not baseless and were under serious consideration to ensure election integrity. Bucks County extended the deadline for in-person mail-in ballot submission to Friday (November 1st).
Elon Musk’s claim regarding early indications in Pennsylvania was refuted by Harris’s campaign team on October 31st, asserting that the election system was working normally and could identify and address any issues that may arise.
A senior Democratic campaign official mentioned that they are monitoring voting nationwide and cooperating with state attorneys general to address misinformation related to elections and resolve issues as they arise.
Fetterman, the Democratic Senator from Pennsylvania, dismissed Trump’s campaign’s accusations of election fraud in the state as a desperate attempt, stating, “It’s a big eye roll, it’s sad. If they thought they were going to win and had confidence, they wouldn’t engage in this silliness.”
Despite Democratic lawsuits and allegations of issues regarding mail-in ballots in Erie County, election officials and Democratic leaders assert that the election system in Pennsylvania is secure and functioning properly.
In an interview with Politico, Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Fetterman expressed confidence in the state’s elections, labeling the Trump campaign’s accusations as desperate measures due to their lack of confidence in winning.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro emphasized the state’s election system’s security, citing the collaborative efforts of both Republican and Democratic election officials overseeing the process. Shapiro rebuked claims of voter fraud by JD Vance regarding Bucks County as baseless.
Regarding election challenges in Erie County, Shapiro stated that legitimate and eligible voters were being accommodated, reassuring that the issues had been resolved. He highlighted the joint efforts of Republicans and Democrats in administering free, fair, safe, and secure elections in Pennsylvania.
State Secretary of State and Republican Al Schmidt addressed numerous misinformation around the state’s voting situation and the heated allegations of election fraud, labeling them as attempts to incite anger.
The state’s Democrats, including the Governor and Federal Senator, adamantly defended the integrity of the election system, dismissing accusations by the Trump campaign as unfounded and aimed at casting doubt on the election process and institutions.
In conclusion, as Election Day approaches, tensions and allegations of fraud intensify in Pennsylvania, a critical battleground in the upcoming presidential election. Amidst legal battles and conflicting statements from officials, the outcome remains uncertain, with both parties closely monitoring developments and preparing for the final verdict that will decide the next President of the United States.