US Election: With Only 10 Days Left For Polls, Can Trump Trump Harris' Slender Lead?

With only 10 days until Election Day, the presidential contest between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump remains fiercely close across the United States' key battleground states.

Harris, Trump, and their respective supporters are fully immersed in last-minute campaign efforts, reported Al Jazeera.

Photo Credit: PTI

In Texas, singer Beyoncé Knowles, her former Destiny's Child bandmate Kelly Rowland, and country singer Willie Nelson joined Harris's campaign to mobilise voters.

Trump, meanwhile, appeared on podcaster Joe Rogan's show for a 3-hour interview before travelling to Michigan, where he addressed a somewhat reduced crowd due to scheduling delays.

The Latest Polls

The most recent national poll from the New York Times and Siena College, conducted between October 20 and 23, shows Harris and Trump tied at 48% each, with 4% of voters still undecided.

Harris leads among likely female voters with 54% to Trump's 42%, while Trump has an advantage with male voters, at 55% versus Harris's 41%.

Among voters aged 18 to 29, Harris holds a 55% to 43% lead, though Trump is ahead 51% to 44% among voters aged 45 to 64.

However, an unsettling 61% of respondents felt the country was on the wrong track, compared to 27% who believed it was headed in the right direction.

Meanwhile, the FiveThirtyEight poll tracker, which averages multiple national surveys, shows Harris with a slender 48% to 46.6% lead over Trump. This 1.4-point lead is down from a 1.8-point lead earlier in the week.

While national polls provide useful insight, the election outcome will ultimately be determined by the Electoral College, reflecting individual state results.

The seven critical swing states that could decide the election are Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, which together account for 93 of the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win.

According to FiveThirtyEight's latest poll averages, Trump holds a 1-point lead in North Carolina and a 2-point lead in Arizona and Georgia. The race remains incredibly tight in Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, with Trump slightly ahead in Pennsylvania and Nevada, while Harris has a slim lead in Michigan and Wisconsin.

All results fall within the margin of error, and the election could swing in either direction.

What Was Kamala Harris Doing on Friday?

Harris campaigned alongside musicians Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Willie Nelson in Houston, Texas.

During her Texas stop, Harris emphasised her support for abortion rights, aiming to draw a stark contrast with Trump and appeal to female voters.

Although Texas has not voted for a Democratic president since 1976 and Trump is likely to secure the state's 40 Electoral College votes, the Democrats hope Texas will provide a resonant backdrop for Harris to discuss abortion rights in the election's final days. Under Republican Governor Greg Abbott, Texas has enacted some of the country's strictest anti-abortion laws.

What Was Donald Trump Doing on Friday?

Trump was also in Texas on Friday, recording an episode of *The Joe Rogan Experience* in Austin. Rogan, one of the most popular podcasters in the United States, boasts tens of millions of mostly male followers across social media. His podcast has 17.5 million YouTube subscribers and 14 million Spotify followers, with an average listener age of 24, according to Media Monitors.

During his interview with Rogan, Trump reiterated his support for abolishing income tax and replacing it with tariffs.

He then attended a rally in Traverse City, Michigan, where he addressed Harris's challenges with the state's large Arab American population, a demographic that could prove pivotal in this closely contested race.

Two weeks before the election, Trump holds a narrow lead of 45% to 43% over Harris among Arab Americans, according to an Arab News/YouGov poll released on Monday. Many in this community are reportedly disillusioned with the Biden administration, which Harris is part of, due to its firm support of Israel's actions in Gaza and Lebanon.

"Kamala is also in total free fall with the Arab and Muslim population in Michigan. She's in a free fall," Trump stated. "She sent their jobs overseas, brought crime to their cities, and tonight in the Middle East, it's like a tinderbox that's ready to explode. People are being killed at levels we've never seen before."

He also referenced Harris's unexpected alliance with former Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney, who is actively campaigning for Harris. Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney - a key figure in the 2003 Iraq invasion - has had a longstanding feud with Trump. "And why would Muslims support Kamala when she embraces Muslim-hating Liz Cheney?" Trump asked the crowd.

What's Next for the Harris and Trump Campaigns?

On Saturday, Harris will campaign in Kalamazoo, Michigan, alongside former First Lady Michelle Obama. This will be Obama's first appearance on the campaign trail for Harris.

Saturday also marks the first day of statewide early voting in Michigan.

Meanwhile, Trump is scheduled to hold multiple events in Pennsylvania on Saturday, starting with a rally in Michigan.

His running mate, JD Vance, will campaign in Atlanta, Georgia, before heading to events in Erie and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.