It's a wrap: What Trump and Harris said at last election rallies before 2024 polls

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump made their final case in a series of voter outreach campaigns that ended just before Election Day. Voters now have to either choose America’s first woman president or hand the Republican an unprecedented comeback that is likely to rattle the world.

As the rivals held their last rallies of the 2024 race in crucial battleground states and 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” and that she was “ready to be the next president”.

The Democratic vice president finished on a high note in Philadelphia in the must-win state of Pennsylvania, with a rally on the steps immortalised by the boxing movie ‘Rocky’. She was joined by celebrities including Lady Gaga and Oprah Winfrey.

Harris said, “This could be one of the closest races in history — every single vote matters."

She also referenced the 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, 60, 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.

The Republican challenger

On the other hand, former President Trump brought several family members up on stage at his closing rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan. His wife Melania was conspicuous by her absence as Trump made his final push to return to the White House.

Following up on his dark rhetoric in his earlier speeches in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, Trump said, “With your vote tomorrow, we can fix every single problem our country faces and lead America — indeed, the world — to new heights of glory."  

When he said this, the clocks virtually ticked over into Tuesday, the Election Day for millions of voters who were expected to line up before polling stations across 50 states and the District of Columbia. Over 82 million of the over 161 million eligible voters have already cast their votes through early voting.

A match-up

The final pitches of Harris and Trump reflected the critical importance that turnout is likely to play in a nail-biting race.

Both sides say they are encouraged by early turnout, with more than 82 million people having cast early ballots. They needed, however, to mobilise supporters on Election Day itself.

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."

Voting in the US presidential election begins from the states on the East Coast at 1100 GMT (4.30 pm IST) on Tuesday. However, the tiny New Hampshire hamlet of Dixville Notch opened voting early this morning, recording three votes for Trump and Harris.

Contrasting messages

In the final days, the Republican and Democrat candidates have delivered sharply contrasting messages.

At a rally in Pennsylvania’s Reading, Trump pursued his apocalyptic vision of a United States in decline and overwhelmed by illegal immigrants. He described immigrants as “savages” and “animals”.

On the other hand, Harris hammered home her opposition to Trump-backed abortion bans across the United States — one of her key vote-winning positions.

She also took an upbeat, centrist note, calling for a “fresh start” after nearly a decade of Trump dominating US political discourse.

On the final day of the campaign, Trump continued his demonisation of political opponents and the real opponent was not Harris but the “an evil Democrat system”.

“I’m not running against Kamala. I’m running against an evil Democrat system. These are evil people,” said in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

In sharp contrast with Harris who has in recent days said she would be the president of all Americans, Trump’s running mate JD Vance called Harris “trash” at a rally in Atlanta on Monday.

Vance said that “in two days, we’re going to take out the trash, and the trash’s name is Kamala Harris”. This was part of the long-running tirade of Vance against Harris , which has often dabbled in sexism. Last month, Vance said she considered thought of Harris as “legitimately crazy person”.

But tensions ran high

At 78, Trump is the oldest major party nominee ever to run for US president. Harris has tried to cite his advancing age as a flaw saying that it was time for the next generation leadership in America.

Trump has also faced serious challenges in the perception battle over criminal convictions and the violent attack by his supporters on Congress four years ago, when he refused to accept the results of the 2020 election. But, the former president goes into Election Day with certain visible advantages.

Trump has pressed home on voter concerns about the economy and illegal migration while his harsh rhetoric is catnip to his right-wing base.

His message struck home for first-time voter Ethan Wells, a 19-year-old restaurant cook in Michigan.

Trump told AFP that Biden “let a lot of illegals in, and they’ve been murdering and raping our own people”.

“When Trump was president, nobody messed with America,” he said.

The world is watching

Harris has had to build an entire campaign in three months but she has quickly galvanised the Democratic Party and stirred excitement among young voters and women.

“Tomorrow, we will elect the first female president,” Luke Little, a 24-year-old server, said in Philadelphia.

The world is anxiously watching as the outcome will have major implications for conflicts in West Asia and Russia’s war in Ukraine, and for tackling climate change, which Trump calls a hoax.

The most immediate fear is that US democracy will be tested if Trump loses but refuses to accept defeat like he did four years ago, when his supporters stormed the US Capitol.

With Trump having narrowly survived an assassination attempt in July and police foiling a second alleged plot, the fears of violence are very real.

In Washington, growing numbers of businesses and office buildings are being boarded up in case of unrest.

(With inputs from AFP)