On Sunday night, Kamala Harris conducted a rally in Las Vegas, a state that holds six electoral college votes. This location is gaining significance in a presidential race where polling data indicates minimal shifts in favour of either candidate.
The vice president and Donald Trump have been conducting numerous visits to Nevada. However, Harris’s rally is scheduled just two days following her trip to the US-Mexico border, a sensitive topic for Democrats that she aims to address strategically.
In front of an estimated 7,500 attendees in Las Vegas, Harris reiterated her criticisms of Trump for declining to participate in another debate, asserting, “The American people have a right to hear us discuss the issues.” As expressed in Las Vegas, I am fully committed. I am fully committed.
Harris expressed her sympathies for individuals impacted by Hurricane Helene, and her campaign indicated that she plans to visit the affected regions as soon as it does not interfere with the ongoing emergency response efforts in the southeastern part of the country.
“We will support these communities for the necessary duration to ensure their recovery and rebuilding efforts are successful,” Harris stated on Sunday.
On Friday, Harris traversed a substantial, rust-hued border barrier equipped with barbed wire in Douglas, Arizona, engaging with federal officials to analyse issues related to unauthorised border crossings and the trafficking of fentanyl.
During a rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, the former president sought to attribute responsibility for the opioid epidemic to Harris. “She is even advocating for the legalisation of fentanyl,” he stated.
According to the Pew Research Centre, 60% of Americans consider immigration to be a “very important” issue, and additional polling indicates that voters have greater confidence in Trump’s ability to manage this matter compared to Harris.
Conversely, less than 50% of voters (40%) indicated that abortion, a significant weakness for Republicans, was a highly important factor in their voting decision.
During a speech in San Francisco on Saturday, Harris indicated that the “race is as close as it could possibly be” and characterised it as “a margin-of-error race.” The Democratic candidate indicated that she perceived herself as the underdog in the race.
Democrats are initiating a novel approach aimed at engaging younger voters, particularly those visiting Las Vegas, known for its established association with alcohol consumption. This strategy includes communications regarding what they term “Trump’s tequila tax,” which they argue may emerge from suggested import tariffs.
The campaign trail in Las Vegas for Harris coincides with the stated intentions of both candidates to eliminate taxes on tips. In June, Trump articulated his proposal in the city, while Harris reiterated the same commitment during her rally in August.
The situation is significant in Las Vegas, where the workforce comprises roughly 60,000 individuals in the hospitality sector. The Culinary Union of Nevada has provided its endorsement for Harris.
Ted Pappageorge, the secretary-treasurer of the culinary union, informed the Associated Press that the union supported Harris’s proposal due to her commitment to address what the union refers to as “sub-minimum wage.”
“This indicates her level of seriousness,” Pappageorge stated.
Earlier this month, Trump was present at the same Las Vegas venue where Harris is scheduled to speak. In that address, he referred to his opponent as the “would-be president of invasion.”