PHILADELPHIA/GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan. With the U.S. presidential election just hours away, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump made their final appeals to voters in Pennsylvania and other critical battleground states on Monday. Both candidates confidently forecasted victory in a race that polls show remains exceptionally close.
In an election filled with unprecedented twists—including two assassination attempts and a felony conviction for Trump, as well as Harris stepping in after President Joe Biden, 81, withdrew from re-election under party pressure—voter turnout has surged. Since March, more than $2.6 billion has been invested to sway public opinion, according to analytics firm AdImpact.
Despite these efforts, opinion polls place the two candidates nearly even. The outcome may not be clear for days after Tuesday’s voting, and Trump has already hinted that he may contest a defeat, as he did in 2020.
Final Push in Pennsylvania
Both Harris and Trump converged on Pennsylvania on Monday, encouraging any remaining undecided or uncommitted supporters to vote. Pennsylvania, one of seven battleground states expected to decide the outcome, holds a large share of the Electoral College votes critical to the path to victory.
Harris embarked on a five-stop tour of the state, including events in Reading and Pittsburgh, which Trump also visited. In Philadelphia, she held a grand finale rally on the famous “Rocky steps” of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, surrounded by stars such as Lady Gaga and Oprah Winfrey, who rallied the crowd before she took the stage.
Harris declared herself the underdog, “The momentum is on our side,” as the crowd chanted back, “We will win.” She added, “Tonight, then, we finish as we started: with optimism, with energy, with joy,” anticipating a historical election outcome.
In Allentown, Harris reached out to the city’s large Puerto Rican community, still angered over a recent offensive remark made by a comedian at a Trump rally. She then went door-to-door in Reading and held a rally in Pittsburgh where singer Katy Perry performed.
Trump’s Final Rally in Grand Rapids
Trump, 78, held his fourth and final rally just after midnight in Grand Rapids, Michigan, marking the third election cycle in which he has used the city as his final campaign stop. While highlighting issues like increased border security, he criticized the economic performance of the Biden-Harris administration. Acknowledging it might be his last rally, he said, “This is the last one,” estimating he had conducted around 930 rallies since he launched his first campaign in 2015.
“If we get out our people, it’s over, there’s nothing they can do about it,” Trump declared, adding, “To make you feel a little guilty, we would only have you to blame.” His evening rally included an endorsement from podcast host Joe Rogan, which energized his supporters.
Gender Gap and Voter Turnout
Both campaigns reported contrasting voter demographics in early voting trends. Harris’ campaign cited increased participation from younger voters and voters of color, who typically form her core coalition. Trump’s team, however, noted an uptick in early votes cast by women—a key demographic, as polls show Harris leading among female registered voters by 50% to Trump’s 38%, while Trump holds an edge among men.
“Men must vote!” urged Elon Musk, a prominent Trump supporter, on social media platform X. Musk’s voter outreach group, one of several external organizations supporting the Trump campaign, focused on contacting infrequent voters in Trump’s base.
Election Tensions and Legal Controversies
Trump’s campaign has been marred by his controversial comments on gender issues, including a promise to ban transgender athletes from women’s sports and a commitment to “protect women whether the women like it or not.” In Reading, he reiterated his stance, as supporters waved pink “Women for Trump” signs.
A Pennsylvania judge ruled in Trump’s favor, allowing Musk to continue his $1 million voter incentive, despite allegations from a local prosecutor that the effort was akin to an illegal lottery.
In states like North Carolina and Nevada, where Republicans posted robust early voting numbers, Trump’s senior adviser Jason Miller voiced optimism, saying, “The numbers show that President Trump is going to win this race. We feel very good about where things are.”
Meanwhile, Trump has hinted at challenging the election outcome should he lose. “Retribution” and legal action against political rivals have become central themes in his rhetoric. Harris’ team, however, has dismissed these threats, asserting, “Voters select the president, not Donald Trump,” according to campaign legal adviser Dana Remus.
As voters prepare to head to the polls on Election Day, both candidates continue to stoke enthusiasm among supporters, setting the stage for one of the most closely contested elections in recent American history.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
