Market Analysis
On Monday, Republican Donald Trump appealed to religious voters in the southern swing state of Georgia, while his campaign sought to distance itself from recent racist remarks made by supporters that risk alienating key voter groups.
With millions of Americans having already cast ballots ahead of the Nov. 5 election, national polls, including recent data from Reuters/Ipsos, show a close race between Trump and his Democratic opponent Kamala Harris. In swing states like Georgia, where up to 70% of votes are expected to come from early, in-person voting, Trump addressed religious voters at a National Faith Advisory Board event.
“I believe this country needs religion,” Trump said. “The new administration, this radical left, is trying to hold you back.”
However, Trump has come under scrutiny following a New York rally on Sunday, where a comedian joked that Puerto Rico was a “floating island of garbage.” This sparked backlash from Latino celebrities and criticism from both Republican and Democratic leaders. The Trump campaign later clarified that the joke did not reflect their views.
Harris responded by accusing Trump of “fanning the flames of hate and division,” adding, “People are tired of it.” Later, at an Atlanta rally, Trump refuted Harris’s criticism by telling a crowd, “I’m not a Nazi. I’m the opposite of a Nazi.”
Georgia is one of seven key swing states that could be crucial in deciding the election outcome in eight days. This election will determine the direction of the world’s most powerful nation, with Harris and Trump differing sharply on issues like support for Ukraine and NATO, trade tariffs, abortion rights, taxes, and fundamental democratic principles.
So far, around 46 million Americans have voted, per the University of Florida’s Election Lab. This includes about 2.8 million votes from Georgia and 1.9 million from Michigan, where Harris made an appearance on Monday. However, this year’s early voting numbers are lower than the 60 million votes cast by the same time in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Economy
Harris visited Corning Inc's Hemlock Semiconductor facility to meet with workers, tour the production line, and discuss the significance of investing in American manufacturing jobs. Corning recently received preliminary funding of up to $325 million through the Chips and Science Act, which Harris supported and Trump has criticized.
“When we can find meaningful partnerships with the private sector and industries, and do work like what’s happening here, everyone benefits,” she said.
Trump has contended that his economic leadership was stronger than that of President Joe Biden and Harris, despite significant job losses in his final months due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Although the U.S. job market has remained robust under the Biden-Harris administration and stock markets have reached record highs, consumers are grappling with high prices on essentials like groceries and housing. Harris has introduced policy plans to reduce prices and address the housing crisis, contrasting her leadership approach with Trump’s, whom she portrayed as prioritizing personal vendettas.
On Monday evening, Harris appeared at a rally in Ann Arbor, Michigan, joined by her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers. “This election couldn’t be more important,” said Rogers, who performed for the crowd in the chilly 50°F (10°C) weather. Both campaigns have used celebrity endorsements to reach out to voters.
Paraphrasing text from "Reuters" all rights reserved by the original author.