ROUGHLY ONE MONTH OUT

October 2, 2024
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Laura
Posted in Op–Ed
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Where does the election stand?

By Colby Etherton

A lot has transpired in the whirlwind that has been this election season. After Vice President Kamala Harris took the reigns as the Democratic nominee, she had to plan a convention speech, choose a running mate, put together a team to helm her campaign and more.

Last month’s debate proved Harris could hold her own against Trump, who was frequently baited by Harris and went on incoherent tangents. Of note were false claims that (legal) migrants in Springfield, Ohio, were “eating” dogs and cats. The false claims have resulted in a slew of threats (including dozens of bomb threats against Springfield schools) and the condemnation of Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Springfield Mayor Rob Rue.

Notably, it has come to light that the Trump campaign was aware that the claims were false and peddled them anyway.

While consensus is that Harris handily won the debate, an influx of polling shows that the race is still very, very close. The focus of both the Harris and Trump campaigns has lasered in on seven battleground states that will likely decide the election: Nevada, North Carolina, Georgia, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Arizona. Polls show tight races in all seven states, within the margin of error.

An interesting narrative in the media is that Harris’s campaign so far has been light on policy. While there may be a degree of truth to that, it’s puzzling that much of the media hasn’t said the same of Trump. Have they been so conditioned after nearly 10 years of his political career to simply give him a pass on no in-depth explanation of policies or proposals? While Harris’s plans for going after companies that price gouge are meticulously picked apart, they have yet to even discuss what Trump’s plan (if any) is. Or maybe he has concepts of a plan.

Of course, whether a president can enact any of their agenda comes down to the House and Senate, both of which hang in balance. While Democrats have a solid shot at retaking the House, the Senate looks more complicated, with the seat left open by a retiring Joe Manchin almost certainly being won by a Republican. Elsewhere, Democratic Senator Jon Tester in Montana is facing a tough reelection bid and unless Democrats pick up a seat elsewhere (Can Colin Allred do it here and unseat Ted Cruz?), the Senate would swing toward Republican control.

This is an election that will be decided on the margins — a few points in a handful of states. Make sure you’re registered to vote and make a plan for how you’re voting, whether it’s voting early, by mail or in person on Election Day.