The contest for the command of the White House between Joe Biden’s running mate, Kamala Harris, and the incumbent President, Donald Trump, takes an interesting turn as the respective political heavyweights stake their likelihood of winning on diverse states.
The conventional scramble for swing states is, arguably, one of the most significant phases in any US Presidential election. With both parties concentrating their resources and energies on such ‘purple’ states, Trump and Harris targeted these areas, taking different routes in a strategic attempt to swing the sentiments of voters in their favor.
In a greater part of the campaign, Kamala Harris strategically directed her efforts towards states with a critical mass of voters necessary for a victory, such as Texas and Georgia. Her choice reflects an astute political calculation, as these southern states, with their burgeoning cities and increasingly diverse electorates, offered an enticing opportunity for Harris to sway a new demographic of voters in the Democratic direction.
With an impressive population of Black and Latino voters, Texas emerged as a highly attractive Democratic target. Harris aimed to exploit the potential upturn of these demographic groups that traditionally held a stronger Democratic inclination. Similarly, Georgia, long a Republican stronghold, had shown signs of a political tilt, with shifting demographic trends favoring the Democrats. Harris used that trend to advantage, motivating voters with her powerful messages resonating with ordinary citizens.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump held onto his traditional bases of support in states like Florida and Pennsylvania. The President was visibly more oscillated toward states where he demonstrated strength in the 2016 elections, viewing it as a reliable pathway for his re-election. Trump concentrated his laser-like focus in capturing the Sunshine State of Florida, where he had previously won by a slim margin.
Trump’s decision was greatly influenced by Florida’s massive electoral vote pool, making it an essential prize in the electoral map. Reverberating with the older and retiree population, Trump sought to resonate with this demographic that has shown sturdy support for his conservative ideologies. Pennsylvania was another target, with Trump concentrating on its working and middle-class voters, espousing his stance on key issues like job creation, manufacturing and fracking regulations.
In summary, the divergent focus on different states by Harris and Trump portrays a classic approach to winning an election in the United States: Recognizing the pulse of key swing states and optimizing political strategy to resonate with the tastes of the majority in such regions. The 2020 election was particularly defined by this intense running battle, capturing the essence of democracies where ordinary voters hold the power to swing the fate of their nation.