Former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris hit campaign stops in key swing states, and Florida Democrats seek to woo Republican voters to their cause.
Trump, Harris work to gain votes in swing states
With 19 days left before Election Day, both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are on their final campaign sprint.
Today, Harris campaigned across the key battleground state of Wisconsin, as Trump was set to speak at a charity dinner in New York City tonight.
In 2016, Trump shocked the political world by winning the three Midwest battlegrounds of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania.
Four years later, President Joe Biden flipped them back.
Now, in 2024, the path to the White House likely goes through these three crucial states. Harris criss-crossed Wisconsin on Thursday.
It’s a state that was decided by just 20,000 votes in 2020 out of more than 3 million votes cast.
She visited a business class at a Milwaukee University Monday morning, along with billionaire Mark Cuban, before heading to campaign events in La Crosse and Green Bay.
As Harris campaigned inside, pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside, calling for an end to the war in Gaza.
Trump was in New York City for a charity event Thursday night, making a stop at a barber shop in the Bronx Thursday morning.
His running mate, JD Vance, spent the day campaigning in Pittsburgh, where he questioned Harris’ constant criticisms of Trump.
“She is pathologically incapable of talking about the American future without talking about a person who hasn’t been president for three-and-a-half years,” Vance said.
Meanwhile, Harris’ running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, was in the key state of North Carolina for the start of early voting.
There, voters were determined to cast their ballots even as many recovered from Hurricane Helene which hit last month.
“This is a monumental election," voter Bill Whalen said. "For the first time in my life, democracy itself is at stake."
On Friday, both candidates will be in Michigan for campaign events. From there, Harris will head south to Georgia, while Trump campaigns in Pennsylvania.
Democrats in Florida look to bring over Republicans
Florida party leaders are focusing on how they can be get voters excited at the idea of going to the polls.
Florida Democrats see value in a small, yet notable group of Republicans that they hope will come vote for them.
That group is known as the never-Trumpers, those Republicans that refuse to support former President Donald Trump.
“We’re seeing turnout numbers reflecting that, not just Democrats, but you’re seeing it in high numbers of Independents that are turning in their ballots. And as you heard, I wouldn’t guarantee all those Republican ballots are for Republicans," state Democratic Chair Nikki Fried said.
She said she hopes there are more Republicans like Mac Stipanovich, who is a lifelong Republican.
“I would urge Republicans and Independents who value country over party, who value patriotism over partisanship, to support VP Harris,” Stipanovich said.
But Republican Party of Florida Chair Evan Power said the Republicans who don’t support Trump won’t change the election.
“Tale as old as time. In 16 you had never-Trumpers. In 2020 you had never-Trumpers. They don’t determine the election,” Power said.
More than 830,00 Floridians have cast a ballot. At the moment, Democrats are outpacing Republicans by almost 50,000 votes.
As of Thursday, roughly 153,000 independents have cast a mail in a ballot with almost 400,000 still outstanding.