US election: 9 days to go – What the polls say, what Harris and Trump are doing | 2024 US Election News

With nine days to go until Election Day in the United States, the two top contenders for the White House – Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump – continue to seek votes in battleground states as polls suggest a tight race.

On Saturday, Trump made a bold play on Arab-American and Muslim voters in Michigan, a swing state with nearly 400,000 voters of Arab descent.

Michigan voted for Biden in 2020, but anger over Israel's massacres in Gaza and the war in Lebanon could derail the Democratic exit from Harris.

Michigan is one of seven competing US states that may decide the winner. It is part of the “Green Wall” considered the Democrats' best chance to pick Harris, along with Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Harris also campaigned in Michigan on Saturday, warning that Trump would use “unbridled and excessive force” if he returned to the White House.

What are the latest updates from the polls?

A poll released by Emerson College Polling on Saturday had Harris and Trump tied at 49 percent each.

The poll, conducted Oct. 23-24, suggested a tighter race than last week, showing Harris leading Trump 49 percent to 48 percent. It is also the first time since August in Emerson's weekly poll that Harris has not led.

“Male voters outvote Trump by 13 points, 55 percent to 42 percent, the largest margin since 2020, while women defeat Harris by 10 points, 54 percent to 44 percent, making it less than Biden's support in 2020,” said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling.

A recent survey also found that regardless of who they will vote for, 50 percent of American voters think Trump will win the election and 49 percent think so of Harris.

The poll also listed the economy as the top issue for voters at 45 percent, followed by immigration (14 percent), threats to democracy (14 percent), abortion (7 percent), health care (6 percent), and crime (four percent). ).

Meanwhile, the latest FiveThirtyEight poll showed Harris leading in the national polls, 47.9 to Trump's 46.6.

According to the same poll, Harris' unfavorable rating rose to 47.8 percent, while his favorable rating was at 46.4 percent. Trump's unfavorable rating was 52.1 percent while his favorable rating was 43.4 percent.

What would Kamala Harris do on Saturday?

Harris was in Michigan, where former First Lady Michelle Obama fired a crowd of Democratic supporters by dividing Harris and Trump on his personality and qualifications, saying there was a double standard in the way the two were treated.

Obama warned that another term under Trump would lead to a further rollback of abortion rights. She said Trump's promise to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which was passed during her husband's presidency, would affect “every woman's life, everything”.

Harris had been talking happily for a few minutes when he was interrupted by a protester who repeatedly shouted, “No more war in Gaza.”

After Harris supporters shouted at him to call off the disruption, he replied, “On Gaza, we have to end that war”, then picked up where he left off, asking voters to “turn the page on fear and division”.

What would Donald Trump do on Saturday?

Also campaigning in Michigan, Trump met with a group of Muslim preachers, saying he deserved the support of Muslim voters because he would end conflicts and bring peace to the Middle East.

Trump fully supports Israel and has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “do what you have to do” in dealing with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Still, Trump appears to be gaining support from some American Muslims who are angered by President Joe Biden and Harris' Gaza policy, despite Trump banning immigration from Muslim-majority countries as president.

Imam Belal Alzuhairi of the Islamic Center of Detroit joined Trump on stage in Novi, saying, “We are asking Muslims to stand with President Trump because he promises peace.”

At the same time, however, Trump has also denigrated Detroit while trying to woo suburban voters.

“I think Detroit and our other areas make us a progressive nation,” he said, adding that people want Detroit to be “great”, but he thinks it “needs help”.

What's next for the Harris and Trump campaigns?

According to his campaign, Harris is spending the rest of Sunday in Philadelphia, touring the city in a series of neighborhood events to turn out voters. The vote in Philadelphia could be the deciding factor in whether Harris can carry the critical state of Pennsylvania, which has 19 electoral votes.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Harris' full-day tour will focus on black and Latino neighborhoods in the Democratic-leaning city.

Harris is scheduled to attend services Sunday morning and speak at a black church in West Philadelphia. He will also visit a barbershop in West Philadelphia to speak with young Black men and community leaders.

Meanwhile, Trump will take the stage at one of the country's most prestigious venues, hosting a home rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City to deliver his campaign closing message against Harris.

Trump was born and raised in Queens, New York City. He also built his real estate business in the city.

While some Democrats and TV pundits are questioning Trump's decision to hold what they dismiss as vanity events, the Democratic Leaning New York convention is giving Trump what he craves most: exposure, wall-to-wall coverage and a national audience.

“It's New York, but it's also, you know, it's MSG, it's Madison Square Garden,” Trump said during a radio interview. “Guys like me and you, that means a lot, those words. Madison Square Garden, right? Don't you think so? … It's a very big stop.”

Trump will be joined at the rally by supporters including Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who has spent tens of millions of dollars promoting his campaign.