At Madison Square Garden and the White House Ellipse, Trump and Harris are delivering their concluding speeches, respectively
The preceding president is going back to his hometown on Sunday for a gathering at one of New York City's well-known symbols, Madison Square Garden. Two days afterwards, the vice president is holding an event at the Ellipse, a park situated near the South Lawn of the White House, where Trump's passionate speech around four years ago initiated the conflict against the US Capitol.
These two events could lead to critical moments in a race that's on a razor's edge, with CNN's final nationwide poll showing each contender with the support of 47% of likely voters.
Both parties are urging their supporters to cast their votes early and aiming to reach the minuscule pools of undecided voters or those undecided about their voting intentions.
Harris and Trump have made it clear what they'll focus on in the campaign's final days. Harris is emphasizing her backing for abortion rights, a winning factor for Democrats since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. She's also underscoring her character versus Trump's – a strategy designed to appeal to independents and moderate Republicans.
"Choose between a Donald Trump who'll seethe in the Oval Office, plotting revenge and retribution, penning his enemies list, or what I'll be doing, which is responding to people, like the ones last night, with a to-do list," she declared to reporters on Thursday.
Trump is centering on border security, utilizing demoralizing language towards undocumented immigrants as he zeroes in on an issue that's defined his political identity across all three of his presidential bids. It's part of a more extensive argument that Democrats, in four years, have weakened the stability and economic achievements of his tenure in the Oval Office.
In opting for a rally at Madison Square Garden, Trump is banking on his showmanship and stardom – anticipating he can fill the arena in the deep-blue city, and thinking that the spectacle will unfold on television and phone screens in all seven battleground states.
"I'll rescue each town in America that's been overcome and dominated," he stated on Thursday in Las Vegas.
Harris' Two To-Do Lists
As the final sprint towards Election Day, a senior Harris campaign official revealed, "You can expect to see more of that" – the vice president invoking the former president's portrayal of political adversaries as "enemies within," while also framing the race as a choice between Trump's "enemies list" and her "to-do list."
Her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, also employed this framing for the first time on Thursday, as he campaigned in North Carolina.
"She has a to-do list. He has an enemies list," Walz stated.
Harris' star-studded rally in Georgia on Thursday – her initial campaign appearance alongside former President Barack Obama, and one punctuated by various celebrities – marked the beginning of home-in on the campaign's closing argument, according to the senior campaign official. This argument depicts what a Harris administration would look like in contrast to the peril Jones alleges Trump represents, the official noted.
The vice president continued this celebrity-driven push in Texas on Friday – an infrequent visit to a state that's not a presidential battleground.
Nevertheless, Harris deviated from the seven expected battleground states (the Great Lakes swing states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, and the Sun Belt battlegrounds of Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and North Carolina) for two significant reasons. First: Beyoncé and Willie Nelson shared the stage with her.
Second: Texas, the nation's second-most populous state, enforces one of the strictest abortion laws. The procedure is prohibited after six weeks – before many women even realize they're pregnant – with exceptions only in cases to save the mother's life.
Harris told the Houston crowd that Texas was "ground zero in the fight for reproductive freedom."
Harris' campaign tied her trip on Friday to an ad that emphasized Trump's role in ending the constitutional right to an abortion.
The distinction between Harris and Trump on abortion rights is a topic Harris' campaign is emphasizing prior to potentially historical gender gap.
"Our strategy right now is to keep the foot on the gas for early voting," the senior campaign official told CNN, adding: "All these events leading up to the election are about mobilization."
Harris is expected to continue these themes alongside her top-tier supporters on Saturday, when she campaigns in Michigan with former first lady Michelle Obama.
Trump Goes to Madison Square Garden
A pivotal moment for Trump occurs on Sunday when he returns to New York City – his home for more than seven decades – for his rally in Madison Square Garden.
It's a renowned venue in a renowned city. But New York is also a deep-blue state that hardly any Republican believes Trump can win.
However, his campaign sees potential benefits for Sunday's event. The Madison Square Garden rally will be one of the most significant events of the campaign – with media coverage reaching into all seven battleground states. It's also coupled with a pre-event fundraiser. And it might boost the GOP in the battle for control of the US House of Representatives, with several New York-area seats currently held by vulnerable Republicans.
Trump also declared on Wednesday that he believes he can win New York, in part because, he claimed, migrants are "overtaking the city."
"We think there's a chance of winning New York for the first time since, well, many, many decades. And we think there's a real chance with what's happening, with the migrants overtaking the city, including, understandably, the whole state, frankly," he stated on Fox News Radio. Reagan in 1984 was the last Republican presidential nominee to carry the Empire State.
Trump's comments showcased that, just like Harris prioritizes abortion rights, he's targeting his Democratic opponent on border security matters. He trip to Austin, Texas, on Friday, was to emphasize an issue that's been central to his political journey since his 2015 presidential bid launch. Trump has promised to expand his tough immigration policies, including mass deportations, if he retains power.
In Austin, Trump said, "Kamala is here in Texas to mingle with progressive celebrities. Isn't that thrilling? But she's not interested in meeting any migrant crime victims during her stay."
Although the economy remains the primary concern for voters, polls suggest why Harris and Trump are emphasizing these contrasting topics for their finale speeches. The recent survey by The New York Times and Siena College indicates that Trump maintains an edge in who is more reliable on immigration issues – 54% to 43% – while Harris surpasses by a substantial margin on her stance on abortion.
Similar to Harris, Trump's campaign is wholly invested in motivating supporters – particularly those with a tendency to overlook polling.
Trump's vice presidential candidate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, visited the Oakland County GOP office in Michigan on Thursday – a significant base for the party in the sprawling suburban county northwest of Detroit. This region is anticipated to favor Harris, but Vance believes that by maintaining close margins, Trump could boost his chances in the state.
"Our focus is the voters who will cast ballots for us. They're fuming over the nation's trajectory, but only if they turn up to vote," Vance said. "Each vote you bank enables us to invest in the subsequent vote and the one after that."
He added, "We've secured all the TV and radio time we'll require. However, the crux of the matter lies in this turnout operation."
This report was contributed to by CNN's Priscilla Alvarez, Kit Maher, Aaron Pellish, Terence Burlij, Kate Sullivan, Kevin Liptak, and Samantha Waldenberg.
The upcoming events from both candidates could significantly impact the election, as per the latest polls showing a close race between the two contenders. Harris is focusing on her pro-choice stance, abortion rights, and her character, while Trump is emphasizing border security and using demoralizing language towards undocumented immigrants.
In the context of the politics surrounding the upcoming election, the recent event at Madison Square Garden can be seen as Trump's attempt to harness his showmanship and popularity, aiming to fill the arena and generate media coverage in all seven battleground states.
