Kamala Harris and Donald Trump return to the US campaign trail on Wednesday with new polls showing the presidential race is razor-close as their crucial first debate approaches.
Vice President Harris, who has reignited Democratic hopes with the November 5 vote just over two months away, will reveal her plan for tax breaks aimed at small businesses during a visit to New Hampshire.
Meanwhile, Trump will participate in a pre-recorded town hall on conservative Fox News from Pennsylvania, a key battleground state, following a brief hiatus from the campaign trail over the Labor Day weekend.
Both candidates are making final campaign pushes ahead of their Tuesday debate, which will bring them face-to-face on primetime television for the first time.
“She’s had her honeymoon period. People are learning who she is,” Trump commented on a New Hampshire radio station ahead of Harris’s visit. “We can’t go another four years with a dumb president.”
Harris has shaken up the race since President Joe Biden stepped down as the Democratic candidate after a challenging debate performance raised concerns about his age and mental sharpness. The first female, Black, and South Asian vice president has quickly gained ground, narrowing Trump’s lead and prompting the former president to reassess his strategy.
Despite his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and the Capitol riot instigated by his supporters, Trump, now 78, faces a new challenge from the 59-year-old Harris, who is presenting herself as a fresh alternative.
A CNN poll released on Wednesday shows a tightly contested race in six key battleground states. Harris leads Trump in Wisconsin and Michigan, with 50% to 44% and 48% to 43%, respectively. Trump holds an edge in Arizona at 49% to 44%.
The race is neck-and-neck in Pennsylvania, with both candidates tied at 47%, and in Georgia and Nevada, where Harris leads Trump by 48% to 47%. Biden won all six states in 2020.
A USA Today/Suffolk University poll from Tuesday showed Harris leading Trump by 48% to 43%, with significant gains among Hispanic, Black, and younger voters.
During her Portsmouth event, Harris will propose a significant increase in tax breaks for small businesses and plans to cut red tape. She contrasts her policy with Trump’s tax cuts across the board, though she has faced criticism for not fully outlining her plans.
Trump, in turn, has accused Harris of copying his proposal to eliminate taxes on tips for service workers. His town hall with Fox News host Sean Hannity will be taped and broadcast at 9:00 PM local time (01:00 GMT Thursday).
The campaign continues with Harris traveling to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Thursday, and staying in the state ahead of the debate in Philadelphia on Tuesday. She will also be joined by Biden in Pittsburgh on Monday, with Biden holding events in Wisconsin and Michigan on Thursday and Friday to bolster support for Harris and his own legacy.
