US voters set to cast ballots for new president

The US will hold a presidential election today, with Vice-President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump running neck and neck in what is considered the closest election in the country's recent political history, reported Sputnik/RIA Novosti. 

According to the latest data from the Real Clear Politics (RCP) poll aggregator, Trump has a 0.1 percentage point (pp) lead in national polls and a slight edge in most of the battleground states.

This includes Pennsylvania (0.3pp), North Carolina (1.5pp), Georgia (1.9pp), Arizona (2.6pp) and Nevada (1pp), while Harris is ahead in Wisconsin (0.3pp) and Michigan (0.9pp).

However, considering that most polls have a margin of error of 3pp, it is hard to be sure what the actual result will be.

The University of Florida’s Election Lab said that over 78 million people had voted early in this election.

Apart from deciding who will be the president, voters will also decide the composition of the House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate, which is important since without the support of Congress, it will be quite difficult for either Trump or Harris to implement their policies.

At the moment, the Republicans have the House, while the Democrats control the Senate.

Per the RCP's generic congressional vote average, the GOP has a 0.4 percent lead.

The key Senate races this election are said to be in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Montana, Nevada and Arizona.

Will Trump return?

For Trump, this election has been a chance to prove to the nation that his defeat by president Joe Biden in 2020, a loss that he still disputes, was a fluke.

The business tycoon and reality TV star also wants to prove that many in the country still buy into his combination of the strong border and immigration control, a departure from the principles of free trade in favour of economic protectionism, as well as scepticism towards traditional approaches to foreign policy.

However, while the former president still commands the support of the GOP grassroots, many voters, including some within his own party, are put off by his bombastic style, as well as his role in the events surrounding the Jan 6 riots.

Hope for Harris

Harris, for her part, inherited the Democratic nomination after Biden withdrew his candidacy this summer due to a dismal performance in the first campaign debate against his Republican rival.

Since then, the party has successfully rallied behind her, although tensions between the moderate and progressive wings remain, especially over the conflict in Gaza.

While campaigning, she sought to underscore her progressive commitments on social issues, such as abortion, and downplay issues such as immigration, which is traditionally seen as the Democrats' weak spot.

The election cycle has also been marked by the ever-growing political polarisation, with pollster John Zogby describing it as a "real Armageddon election" and expressing concern that there are people on either side of the political divide who will not accept the results unless their preferred candidate wins.

The level of discontent has been most evident in the later phase of the election cycle, with Trump facing not one but two attempts on his life. Because of that, there has been ongoing concern about the potential for violence on election day and the days after.

- Bernama

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