The 2024 US Presidential Election is heating up, with just over two weeks remaining before voters head to the polls. Both candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, are intensifying their campaigns, hitting the ground running in crucial battleground states.
Trump, the Republican nominee, brought his campaign to North Carolina on Monday, making three stops in the state. He visited Asheville to assess storm damage before holding a rally in Concord where he put spirituality at the forefront. The event, described by the Associated Press, saw supporters chanting “Jesus” and “Praise God” throughout the night.
Trump used the platform to reflect on the assassination attempt he experienced on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a bullet grazed his ear. He recounted his upbringing, mentioning his parents’ regular church attendance in Queens and Manhattan. “As I look back at my life’s journey and events, I now recognize that it’s been the hand of God leading me to where I am today,” Trump proclaimed. “I would like to think that God saved me for a purpose. And that’s to make our country greater than ever before.”
However, Trump quickly pivoted from faith to attacks on his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris. He specifically targeted her recent handling of Christian hecklers at a Wisconsin campaign rally, declaring, “She’s very destructive to religion. She’s very destructive to Christianity. She’s your worst nightmare.”
Meanwhile, Harris is actively campaigning ahead of the November 5 election, aiming to win over voters in critical Midwestern battleground states. Her campaign strategy involves reaching out to Republicans who are concerned about Trump’s policies, particularly those who identify as pro-life. She has spoken to voters who express surprise and concern about the post-Roe medical landscape, acknowledging that many did not anticipate the harm that women are now suffering due to increased abortion restrictions.
Harris is working with former Republican congresswoman Liz Cheney to build a coalition of anti-Trump Republicans. In Wisconsin, she addressed a group of voters at a small theater, outlining her vision for the country and attempting to persuade them to switch their allegiance. The outcome of this election hangs in the balance, with both campaigns aggressively vying for the support of key demographics.