Leading White House contenders, the former president Donald Trump and the vice president Kamala Harris, spent the day courting voters in territory that has traditionally leaned away from them. Both candidates, normally focused on energizing their own base, a broad pool of supporters larger than the other side, shifted tactics as the election drew near with fewer than three weeks to go.
Harris traveled to Pennsylvania, a key state, where she spoke to Republicans who had clashed with Trump at an event framed as placing the country above party. “There is a place for you in this campaign no matter your party or how you voted last time”, Harris said, introduced by former congressman Adam Kinzinger, one of the two Republicans on the committee investigating the January 6 attack.
During the event, Harris argued for respect for the constitutional order, openness to diverse ideas, and the protection of free expression. The Constitution is not a relic of the past, she said; it defines a nation where people can speak freely and even criticize the president without fear of imprisonment or military retaliation. Harris added that Trump views any American who does not back him as an enemy and would use the armed forces against critics. She urged the audience to reflect on these points.
After the rally, Harris sat down for her first interview with Fox News since becoming the Democratic nominee a few months earlier. The exchange occurred before a primetime audience that tends to favor conservative perspectives, and it gave Harris a chance to distance herself from President Biden, who remains unpopular with many Republican voters. She declared clearly that her presidency would not be a continuation of Biden’s tenure.
During the interview Harris portrayed Trump as unfit to lead, described him as unstable and dangerous. She argued the public has grown tired of a leader who proclaims to unify the country but spends his time belittling others and engaging in personal attacks.
Outside primetime
Trump, conversely, attended a Latino voters forum organized by Univision, a format Harris had introduced the previous week in a bid to broaden outreach to Latino communities. The former president has drawn a substantial share of Latino voters since 2016, yet this group remains inclined to support the Democratic side overall.
Unlike the primetime Fox News interview, Univision scheduled Trump outside the network’s peak slot after a popular telenovela. Trump sought to win Latino support by promising help for small businesses, attracting investment and jobs, and lowering inflation through cheaper energy and greater oil and gas development.
Nevertheless, he devoted much of the event to repeating claims many observers view as misinformation. He asserted that people in other countries dump their criminals into the United States, notably pointing to Venezuela as an example. He said immigration should be legal, expressing openness to newcomers, but not to criminals.
With polls tight and early voting already underway in large parts of the country, the election enters its final stretch. Both candidates are intensifying their outreach in these last weeks, aiming to convert undecided voters and consolidate their respective bases.