Following Joe Bidenʼs surprise exit in july of this year Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are now head-to-head in a tight race for the white-house. With less than three weeks til election day both teams focus on key battleground areas
The concept of swing-states (areas where both parties have similar support) includes seven main regions: Arizona Georgia Michigan Nevada North Carolina Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. These places became super-important because of the winner-takes-all system which means even a tiny win gives all electoral votes to one candidate
- Arizona hasnt backed democrats since 70s except once
- Georgia switched sides after staying red for 20 years
- Pennsylvania and Michigan kept voting blue since early 90s
- North Carolina stays a tough spot for both sides
The electoral college system makes these states extra-important – its not just about total votes (as Hillary Clinton found out about 8 years ago) but where those votes come from. Political expert Christopher Galdieri thinks this race will be close like most recent ones: “We havent seen any big wins like in Reagan or Nixon times“
As a black woman sheʼs probably not going to appeal to the white working class voters who saw Biden as culturally in step with themselves
Harris needs different support groups than Biden had specially in industrial midwest areas where blue-collar workers make up lots of voters. Her team looks at new ways to build coalitions while Trump tries getting back his former strongholds