About 240 million people can vote in the 2024 US election. Yet, only a small group will likely choose the next president.
Experts think only Kamala Harris or Donald Trump can win a few “swing” states. These battlegrounds are like a high-stakes game. They remind us of Slotsgem, where each spin can change everything.
Seven states will decide the next president: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Arizona
In 2020, the Democrats won the presidency, thanks to Arizona. This state voted for the party’s candidate for the first time since the 1990s.
Arizona shares a long border with Mexico. This makes it an important part of the U.S. immigration debate. Yet, recent months have seen a drop in border crossings from record highs.
Trump has often criticized Harris’s immigration record. She got this role from President Joe Biden to help with the border crisis.
He has promised to launch the largest mass deportation effort in U.S. history if re-elected.
Arizona has been at the center of a heated argument about abortion access. State Republicans tried to restore a nearly total ban on abortions that has been in place for 160 years.
The issue has grown more divisive since 2022. That year, the US Supreme Court overturned a key ruling. This ruling granted women a constitutional right to abortion.
Georgia
Our list of key swing states matches the list of places where Trump-backed Republican officials tried to thwart President Biden’s win in the 2020 election.
In Fulton County, Georgia, Trump faces charges for alleged election interference. This is one of his four criminal cases. He has been convicted in one case, while the others are still ongoing.
Trump and 18 others face charges for allegedly trying to overturn his loss to Biden in the state. He denies any wrongdoing, and the case won’t go to trial before the election.
A third of Georgia’s population is African American. This is one of the highest percentages of black residents in the US. It’s believed that this group played a key role in Biden winning the state for the Democrats in 2020.
Some Black voters in America feel disillusioned with Biden. Yet, the Harris campaign hopes to win their support.
Michigan
The Great Lakes state chose the winning candidate in the last two elections. Even though they supported Biden in 2020, this has come to represent a national backlash. This backlash focuses on the president’s backing of Israel during the war in Gaza.
In February, more than 100,000 voters in Michigan’s Democratic primary chose the “uncommitted” option on their ballots. This was part of a campaign by activists who wanted the US to stop military aid to Israel.
Michigan has the largest Arab American population in the U.S. Their support for Biden was at risk. Harris has a more complex view of Israel. Some Gaza protesters told the BBC they hope she will support their cause.
Trump has highlighted the significance of the state in his potential path to victory. He spoke about events in the Middle East. He urged Israel to complete its campaign against Hamas in Gaza but to do it quickly.”
Nevada
The Silver State has gone for Democrats in the past few elections. Still, there are hints that Republicans could be gaining ground.
Trump had a big lead over Biden in earlier polls. Recent averages from 538 show that Harris’s lead has slipped since she was nominated. Democrats aimed for a candidate who could win over younger and more diverse voters to bridge the gap.
Both candidates are competing for the state’s influential Latino vote.
Since Biden took office, the US economy has grown and created many jobs. But in Nevada, the recovery from COVID has been slower than in other states.
According to recent US government statistics, the state has a 5.1% unemployment rate. This puts it third in the country, after California and the District of Columbia.
If Trump wins again, he promises to cut taxes and reduce regulations. This plan might attract voters.
North Carolina
Polls in North Carolina have tightened since Harris joined the Democratic ticket. Some analysts now label it a “toss-up.””
This may explain why Trump chose to hold his first outdoor rally there after the attempt on his life in July.
“This is a vast state to win,” he told the crowd.
For their part, the Democrats gave the state’s governor, Roy Cooper, a platform on the final night of their party convention.
North Carolina is next to Georgia and shares key electoral issues with Arizona, another state in the Sun Belt.
Trump won North Carolina in 2020 by more than 70,000 votes. This result boosted Democrats’ hopes. They believe this “purple” state, which can vote red or blue, might be winnable this election year.
Pennsylvania
Some experts consider the Keystone State the top prize in the election battle. Harris and Trump often campaign here. They fill the state with rallies and events. Since mid-July, the two candidates and their running mates have done more than 50 events there.
Pennsylvania played a crucial role in 2020, helping secure Biden’s victory. It has been a key focus of Harris’s campaign along with Michigan and Wisconsin.
Trump survived the first of two attempts on his life in Pennsylvania. He has also campaigned hard there. The state is at the heart of a controversial cash giveaway to voters by his supporter, Elon Musk.
The economy is a top issue here, as it is in many other places. Under the Biden administration, inflation spiked across the country before gradually reducing.
Like others in America, many Pennsylvanians feel the pinch of inflation on their cost of living. Datasembly found that grocery prices are going up faster in their state than in other states.
High inflation might hurt Harris nationwide. Polls show it has made voters view the economy unfavorably.
Trump has tried to attack his rival by linking her to the Biden economy. This comes even as the latest figures show annual growth at 2.8%.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin has been a key battleground, deciding the last two elections by 20,000 votes each time.
Third-party candidates can change the game. Yet, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has dropped out and now supports Trump. Democrats are working to take Green Party candidate Jill Stein off the ballot. They have also challenged Cornel West’s candidacy.
Trump sees Wisconsin as key to winning. Both parties are focusing on Milwaukee. They are holding conventions and rallying support for November.
Final Thoughts
The 2024 election is coming up soon. Seven crucial swing states will help decide the next president. They include Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Voters in these states wield significant power. Key issues like immigration, the economy, healthcare, and abortion shape their choices.
With a deeply divided political landscape, turnout will be crucial. As Election Day approaches, all eyes are on these battlegrounds to see who will win the White House.
