Trump Says Election ‘Ours to Lose’ as Candidates Mobilize Voters

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are spending their final day on the campaign trail with a furious barrage of events, looking to drum up excitement among supporters ahead of what’s on track to be one of the closest presidential elections in modern history.

The Democratic nominee launches her day in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the hometown of President Joe Biden, who she hastily replaced atop their party’s ticket just over three months ago – and will crisscross the pivotal battleground state throughout the day.

Aides have signaled that Harris will spend the time focusing on an affirmative case for her presidency rather than attacking Trump, a signal that Democrats may believe the vice president’s policy platform, particularly on the economy, is the most effective way to drive voters who remain undecided. A spate of polls released Sunday showed that the economy remains the most important issue to voters, in a race deadlocked both nationally and across the swing states. 

In the evening, Katy Perry will headline a rally with Harris in Pittsburgh before the vice president heads to Philadelphia for a final event that will include appearances from Lady Gaga, Oprah Winfrey, Ricky Martin and The Roots. That rally will take place in front of the steps of the city’s art museum, made famous in the iconic Rocky training montage.

Trump will also focus much of his day in Pennsylvania, underscoring the importance of a state that polls suggest is evenly tied, and among the most likely to determine the ultimate outcome of the election. The former president held an early morning event in Raleigh, North Carolina, before heading to Pennsylvania for rallies in Pittsburgh and Reading.

He’ll conclude the night in Grand Rapids, Michigan – a sentimental choice, as the spot of his final rally in each of his prior two presidential campaigns.

With one day to go, here’s everything happening on the campaign trail:

‘Ours to Lose’

“I hate the expression, actually, but it’s ours to lose,” Trump told supporters at his first campaign stop of the day in Raleigh in battleground North Carolina, urging them to head to the ballot box. 

The former president again suggested he is poised for victory even as polls show the race too close to call and suggested, without evidence, that his opponents may conspire to alter the outcome.

“If we get everybody out and vote, there’s not a thing they can do, and if we don’t, they have to get every person that ever signed anything,” Trump said.

Trump was joined at his rally by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and US Senator Marco Rubio of Florida.

North Carolina is a state Trump won in both of his two prior White House campaigns, albeit narrowly over President Joe Biden in 2020, making it a top target for Democrats. A New York Times/Siena poll published on Sunday found Harris narrowly ahead of Trump in the state, leading among likely voters by 48% to 46%.

“North Carolina’s reliable for me, I mean I’ve never lost and I don’t think we’re going to start now,” Trump said.

Security Adjustments

The US Secret Service announced they were bolstering security around the White House, Harris’ home at the Naval Observatory, and the Palm Beach County Convention Center where Trump is hosting his election night party.

The steps include fencing and “other physical public safety measures,” the agency said in a statement.

“These enhancements are not in response to any specific issue but are part of wide-ranging public safety preparations for Tuesday’s election,” it added.

With assistance from Stephanie Lai.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.