US Vice President Kamala Harris has strongly criticised Donald Trump, calling his recent statements “unhinged” after he threatened to use the military against political opponents. The two presidential candidates held simultaneous events in the battleground state of Pennsylvania as early voting began in most of the country.
With the presidential race tightening and polling indicating a close contest, particularly in swing states like Pennsylvania, Harris has made Trump’s increasingly authoritarian rhetoric a focal point of her campaign. At a rally in Erie, she played a video montage of Trump demanding the imprisonment of political rivals and repeatedly referring to “the enemy from within.” The footage also included an interview from the weekend where Trump suggested that “sick people, radical left lunatics” could be “easily handled” by the military if he were re-elected.
Harris warned that Trump would target groups he has criticised in the past, including journalists, election officials, and judges who uphold the rule of law.
While Trump has attacked Harris over the Biden administration’s policies, as well as her background and capabilities, Harris has portrayed the former president as a dangerous choice focused more on fearmongering than solutions.
Trump has been labelling his domestic rivals as “scum” and praising his relationships with foreign leaders, while his running mate, J.D. Vance, continues to deny the legitimacy of the 2020 election results. Despite being the oldest major-party presidential candidate at 78, Trump has refused to release his medical and tax records, breaking with traditional campaign practices.
With the election only three weeks away, Harris and Trump remain locked in a tight race for swing states, with Pennsylvania being the most significant prize. Harris’s support has remained stagnant at around 49 percent since mid-September, causing concern among her campaign aides. A particular worry is the drop in support among Black voters, a crucial demographic for the Democratic coalition, which is 15 points lower than in Biden’s 2020 victory over Trump.
A recent New York Times/Siena poll showed Harris with 78 percent support among Black voters, down from the 90 percent typically seen for Democrats in past presidential elections. The decline is largely attributed to a drop in support among Black men.
This week, Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz — who labelled Trump “fascist to his core” at a campaign event in Wisconsin — will campaign extensively in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. These Rust Belt states are crucial to her path to the presidency, and she is expected to focus on reaching Black male voters.
In Erie, Harris promoted her “opportunity agenda,” which includes initiatives like small business loans, job training programmes for African American men, and a health programme targeting diseases that disproportionately affect the community. She also plans to engage with prominent Black media figures, including a town hall event in Detroit with Charlamagne Tha God from The Breakfast Club.
Meanwhile, Trump — performing better with Black voters than any Republican candidate since Richard Nixon in 1960 — promised to reduce household energy bills at a town hall near Philadelphia. When asked about his strategy for tackling inflation, Trump briefly addressed the issue before pivoting to border security and criticising the media for his use of the fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter as a metaphor at campaign events.
Addressing his chances in the upcoming election, Trump said: “Our poll numbers have gone through the roof with Black and Hispanic voters. And I like that.”