LAST UPDATE | 5 Nov
KAMALA HARRIS AND Donald Trump finished up their campaigns last night ahead of today’s vote, with each candidate holding rallies in key swing states.
With polls showing a dead heat, Trump promised to lead the United States to “new heights of glory” while Harris said the “momentum is on our side,” as both candidates urged their supporters to get to the polls.
The Democratic vice president finished with an appearance in Philadelphia in the must-win state of Pennsylvania, with a rally on the steps immortalised by the boxing movie “Rocky.”
“This could be one of the closest races in history – every single vote matters,” said Harris.
In what has become typical Democrat fashion, more celebrities featured at Harris’ campaign event.
Pop singer Lady Gaga performed ‘God Bless America’ outside the Philadelphia Museum while TV star Oprah Winfrey also made an appearance.
Harris also referenced the Rocky film, telling thousands of supporters that “here at these famous steps” she was paying “tribute to those who start as the underdog and climb to victory.”
Harris has repeatedly said she is the underdog, having only joined the race three months ago after President Joe Biden dropped out. But she insisted she would win.
"Kamala, you're fired. Get the hell out of here."
— Sky News (@SkyNews) November 5, 2024
Donald Trump speaks at his final rally in Michigan. He adds: 'Kamala, you're horrible at your job... You're a low IQ individual'https://t.co/GIL7LtrHnh
📺 Sky 501 pic.twitter.com/pmg46vYva2
Former president Trump brought several family members – with the conspicuous absence of his wife Melania and daughter Ivanka – up on stage at his closing rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
There, as in an earlier swing through North Carolina and Pennsylvania, his speech bristled with dark rhetoric.
“With your vote tomorrow, we can fix every single problem our country faces and lead America – indeed, the world – to new heights of glory,” he told the crowd at midnight.
Their final pitches reflected the critical importance that turnout is likely to play in a nail-biting race.
Reports from the United States suggest there are very few undecided voters and therefore both campaigns have been focused on encouraging their bases to turn out on the home stretch of the race.
Both sides say they are encouraged by early turnout, with more than 82 million people having cast early ballots.
A charged-up Trump said his supporters can “put ourselves in a position to win, which we can do very easily if we show up.”
Harris said, “We need everyone to vote in Pennsylvania and you will decide the outcome.”
Polls open on the East Coast at 6 am (11 am Irish time) today – although in the tiny New Hampshire hamlet of Dixville Notch they opened at the stroke of midnight, recording three votes for Trump and three for Harris.
In the final days, the Republican and Democrat have delivered sharply contrasting messages.
Speaking earlier in Reading, Pennsylvania, Trump continued to paint his apocalyptic vision of a United States in decline and overwhelmed by immigrants, whom he described as “savages” and “animals.”
Harris, meanwhile, hammered home her opposition to Trump-backed abortion bans across the United States – the policy position that most distinguishes her from the Republican candidate.
But she also called for a “fresh start” after nearly a decade of Trump dominating US political discourse.
Trump’s running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, held his own rally in Atlanta, telling the crowd that “we are going to take out the trash in Washington DC, and the trash’s name is Kamala Harris”.
JD Vance: "The trash's name is Kamala Harris." pic.twitter.com/8QMtRoSoiV
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 4, 2024
The mood across the United States has been tense during a campaign that has seen Democrats call Trump and his supporters fascist.
Trump has survived two assassination attempts and has promised “retribution” against his opponents.
Tensions are particularly high in Washington DC, where fencing and barriers have been erected outside government buildings and businesses have been boarded up.
Many DC residents have reportedly left town ahead of what is sure to be a tuumultuous few days as the votes are counted.
With reporting from AFP
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