As the 2024 presidential election approaches with only three weeks remaining, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are working tirelessly to secure the support of Black voters, women, and other crucial demographics in this highly competitive race.
Harris participated in a town hall meeting in Detroit on Tuesday, which was hosted by the popular morning radio show, “The Breakfast Club”, and included Charlamagne Tha God. Simultaneously, Trump was set to engage with an all-female audience during a town hall event on the Fox News Channel, scheduled for airing on Wednesday with host Harris Faulkner.
During her appearance, Harris voiced concerns that Trump would “institutionalize” rigorous policing methods that primarily impact Black men, while Trump countered by criticizing Harris’ immigration policies, labeling them as “devastating” to both Black and Latino communities.
In the context of this election, Trump is amplifying themes of hypermasculinity, tapping into traditional gender norms to appeal to male voters, as noted by numerous commentators.
The Republican candidate is intensifying his masculine rhetoric as part of a strategic operation to capture men’s votes in a competition against Harris. Conversely, Harris is trying to rally support from Black and Hispanic males through informal, casual language, recognizing the need to engage them differently than traditional campaigning tactics might suggest.
Accompanying this dynamic, Trump’s supporters assert that not voting for him is akin to not embodying true masculinity. For instance, Charlie Kirk, a prominent right-wing figure, declared on his podcast that “If you are a man in this country and you don’t vote for Donald Trump, you’re not a man.”
As this neck-and-neck race unfolds, both candidates are directing efforts toward uncertain voters in pivotal states who may not be firmly committed to either side.
Last week in Pennsylvania, former President Barack Obama addressed Black men directly, challenging the narrative that abstaining from voting or supporting candidates who do not respect them is a demonstration of strength. “That’s not acceptable,” he emphasized, calling for a reconsideration of their voting choices.
In a separate development in Georgia, an investigation has revealed that over 63,000 voters have faced challenges to their eligibility since July, a significant increase compared to previous years. The latest figures show that there have been few removals following these challenges, with most being concentrated in one county.
This effort to challenge voters is part of a broader strategy led by Trump’s associates, seeking to identify and potentially disqualify voters they deem questionable. The U.S. Justice Department has started to scrutinize these activities, which are in line with new rules that some argue could be misused by Trump’s allies to undermine election outcomes.
Moreover, Trump has recently promoted his tariff policy as a remedy for economic issues, describing tariffs as “the most beautiful word in the dictionary.” Nevertheless, he faces criticism from economists who argue that high tariffs would generate increased costs for American consumers, further fuelling inflation.
While Trump claims that inflation would significantly decline under his administration, many economists warn that his proposals, which include mass deportation and altering Federal Reserve policies, could worsen inflation rates rather than improve them.
A letter signed by 16 Nobel Prize-winning economists expressed concern that Trump’s economic plans might rekindle inflation trends, despite the current reduction in rates since their peak in 2022.
In Florida, a judge has halted a newly proposed rule that mandated hand counting of Election Day ballots following the polls closing. This ruling comes in response to challenges by Democratic representatives and voting rights organizations regarding potential manipulations following elections.
Judge Robert McBurney of Fulton County has temporarily forbade the implementation of the hand count rule while considering the arguments presented by the challengers, who indicate that the new regulations could be manipulated to delay or obstruct the certification of results, particularly if Trump does not secure a win against Harris.