US presidential race reaches feverish pitch

New Delhi, Oct 29: With just a week left until Election Day, the 2024 U.S. presidential race has reached a fever pitch, as Kamala Harris and Donald Trump make their closing appeals to voters across critical swing states. The final stretch has seen a flurry of campaign events, amplified by celebrations for Diwali, which have become vibrant platforms for candidate outreach, particularly among South Asian communities.

In major cities across the U.S., Diwali gatherings have attracted substantial interest from campaign teams as candidates strive to connect with South Asian voters. Events like the high-profile Diwali celebration at New York’s iconic Pierre Hotel recently have highlighted the growing political influence of Indian Americans, the South Asian diaspora energised by Harris’s candidacy as the first South Asian heritage candidate to lead a major U.S. party. “You cannot be what you cannot see,” remarked Reshma Saujani, CEO of Girls Who Code, pointing out the significance of Harris’s run for countless young South Asians as reported by the BBC.

BBC also reported that South Asian voter turnout has surged in recent years, with a significant jump from 2016 to 2020, where 71% of eligible Indian Americans cast their ballots. According to Karthick Ramakrishnan of AAPI Data, Harris’s presence on the ballot could push turnout even higher to around 75%, potentially impacting key battleground states.

Swing States in the Spotlight

Both candidates are focusing heavily on swing states that could tip the balance in this tightly contested election. Trump is scheduled for several events in Pennsylvania, an important battleground state, including a rally in Allentown and a community roundtable in southeast Pennsylvania, as reported by the regional media while Harris, will deliver her “closing argument” in Washington D.C., at the site of Trump’s January 6, 2021, rally, highlighting her stance on unity and progress.

Sharp Rhetoric Campaigns Dominate Final Week

The last days of campaigning have also been marked by escalating tensions and pointed exchanges. Trump, at a recent Georgia rally, responded to comparisons between his Madison Square Garden rally and a 1939 pro-Nazi event held at the same venue. Trump defended his rally, calling the comparison baseless, and accused Harris of fuelling division, though Harris has not directly equated Trump or his supporters with Nazis. Harris, for her part, has seized on reports detailing Trump’s alleged admiration for Nazi generals during his presidency, reinforced by remarks from former Trump Chief of Staff John Kelly, who stated Trump fit the definition of a fascist.

Harris’s campaign has used Kelly’s and other insiders’ comments to bolster ads depicting Trump as authoritarian, while Trump has pushed back, labelling Harris a “fascist” and accusing Democrats of stoking hate. Republican leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, called Harris’s criticism “reckless,” cautioning it could lead to political violence.

In addition, a recent comment by a comedian at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally, referring to Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage,” sparked outrage among Latino communities. Puerto Rican leaders have demanded an apology from Trump, though his campaign clarified that the comment does not reflect Trump’s views.

As election day approaches, both campaigns are utilising every platform to sway undecided voters. With the support of swing state voters and demographic groups like South Asians and Latinos potentially determining the outcome, both Harris and Trump are intensifying their appeals, leaving an intense final week in one of the closest races in recent memory.