CHARLOTTE, NC — Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump zeroed in on the Sun Belt on Saturday as they began their last weekend effort to sway every undecided voter in the battleground states. They’ve created competing agendas on the economy — and everything else — that each emphasize what the American people want.
“We’ve dealt with every attack, every abuse and even two assassination attempts,” Trump said at a rally in Gastonia, North Carolina, outside Charlotte. “And now it’s all going to be this.”
Later, Trump headed to Virginia, which is not considered a battleground state, but delivered the same message, telling supporters that there was no way he could lose and was on the cusp of “the biggest political victory in the history of our country.”
Trump predicted that he would win not only the Electoral College count, but the majority of votes throughout the country, which he failed to do in two previous attempts.
“We’re going to win the popular vote,” Trump told the crowd. “I think we have a good chance of winning the general election.”
Harris, meanwhile, has urged supporters to vote early so he can be elected and provide the “new generation of leadership” he argues he represents.
“I am ready to offer that leadership as the next president of the United States,” he said during a rally in the parking lot of the Atlanta Civic Center. He had to pause several times to allow medics to attend to those who had passed out after spending hours in the heat.
“It’s hot here, Atlanta,” the vice president said.
It is not clear whether Harris himself has voted early. Campaign spokesman Michael Tyler said Saturday that Harris plans to vote by mail, but he could not say if he had returned to his home state of California. Trump confirmed on Saturday that he would vote in person on Tuesday in Florida, despite previously saying he would vote early.
“Who has chosen here?” he asked the crowd in Atlanta, who cheered loudly in response. “Wow. Oh my goodness. Thank you, thank you.”
It’s part of a final and frenzied push by Harris, Trump, his running mates and high-profile stand-ins to encourage people to vote early or on Tuesday, Election Day.
The Harris campaign hopes for a “high-impact” moment with a two-minute spot to air Sunday during NFL games on CBS and FOX, including the Green Bay Packers against the Detroit Lions, two swing state teams. It shows Harris interacting with people during the campaign and speaking directly to viewers.
“Now I’m asking for your vote because as president I will wake up every day and fight for the American people,” he said at the end.
Harris Campaign Manager Jen O’Malley Dillon reflected on the confidence on a conference call with reporters as both sides began their final sprint to the polls. “If you can hear the joy in my voice, it’s because we’re on GOTV weekend,” he said.
Meanwhile, Trump spoke wistfully, as he has at several rallies, about how after nearly a decade of campaigning, the race is finally close.
“We will meet again many times, I hope,” the former president said at the first of two North Carolina rallies. “This has been the thrill of a lifetime for me and you.”
At the second rally, in Greensboro, he said he would hold another two-day rally “and then shut it down, it won’t happen again.” He said he would have “a different form of rally – a rally for our country.”
Later, he laughed along with a sexist joke about Harris. When Trump repeated his claim, without evidence, that Harris lied about working at McDonalds when he was younger, someone shouted, “he works on the corner.” Trump laughed, looked up and pointed to a section of the crowd.
“This place is amazing,” he said to cheers. “Remember, someone else is talking. It’s not me.”
The plane carrying Harris and Trump met on the tarmac in Charlotte, North Carolina, where the vice president ended his campaign day.
He was joined by actress Kerry Washington and rocker Jon Bon Jovi, who played his new song “The People’s House” which he said he wrote shortly after the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol by pro-Trump rebels.
“We still have to do it,” Harris said at the Atlanta rally, adding, “Make no mistake, we’re going to win.”
He also called the campaign and its supporters “America’s promise.”
President Joe Biden, who dropped out of the race this summer when it was clear he couldn’t win, did his part for the Democrats by ending the 2024 campaign. a carpenter in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
And, as he has been doing lately, Biden also went off script to make some clear statements. After slamming Trump and his supporters on policy issues, the president added, “I know some guys who are tempted to think that he’s this macho guy … ass.”
Walz joined actress Eva Longoria at a voting event in Las Vegas ahead of Minnesota gubernatorial events in Flagstaff and Tucson, Arizona. GOP vice presidential candidate JD Vance is also in Arizona and Nevada. First lady Jill Biden campaigned in Georgia and Hillary Clinton appeared for Harris in Tampa, Florida.
Walz visited several homes in the suburbs of Las Vegas. He and Democratic Rep. Dina Titus spoke with a couple who were excited to see the two politicians – and they were hopeful.
“We’re going to win,” Walz said. “These last days are important and will be at the limit.”
Elsewhere, other voters sounded a note of cautious optimism about the election results.
Marzella and Darrell Pittman said they canceled their weekend plans after learning Harris would be in Atlanta and driving four hours from Alabama to attend.
Marzella thinks Harris will win, but Darrell is nervous because many young Black people in life support Trump and are hesitant to vote for a woman for president.
“It’s tight, and the other side, he’s got a lot of people who believe in that side, like we believe in Kamala,” he said.
Until the election, “we have nothing but voting in our minds and we talk to everyone,” said Marzella Pittman.
Trump supporters are equally happy with their candidate.
“Mr. Trump arrived in a garbage truck. I came in a garbage bag,” said Elmer Baber, who lives in Gastonia, North Carolina and attended Trump rallies. This was a reference to Trump riding a garbage truck after Biden said Trump supporters were “trash.” Biden later said he was talking about rhetoric. from a speaker at Trump’s recent event at Madison Square Garden.
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Colvin reports from Gastonia, North Carolina, and Superville from Washington. Associated Press writers Chris Megerian in Washington, Matt Brown in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Charlotte Kramon in Atlanta and Isabella Volmert in Warren, Michigan, contributed to this report.
