Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are both focusing on an all-important swing state on Friday: Michigan.
Harris is heading to Grand Rapids, Lansing and Oakland County for three campaign stops. Trump will also appear in Oakland County for a roundtable event, and he’s holding an evening rally in Detroit.
Michigan could easily determine the results of the 2024 race for the White House, along with other battlegrounds like Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Expect the Democratic and Republican nominees to tailor their campaigns to these states as the election comes to a close.
Keep up with the USA TODAY Network’s live coverage.
Trump ended a friendly interview on Fox & Friends by telling the hosts that he would be meeting today with Rupert Murdoch – their big boss – about coverage of the campaign. Trump said he would tell Murdoch he doesn’t want to see negative ads or critical commentators on Fox during the final weeks of the campaign. “I’m going to say, Rupert, please do it this way,” Trump said. “And then we’re going to have a victory, because I think everyone wants to have a victory.”
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–David Jackson
Former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will campaign with Democratic nominee Kamala Harris in two battleground states next week, the Harris campaign said Friday.
Barack Obama will join Harris for a get-out-the-vote event in Georgia Thursday, Oct.24. Michelle Obama will campaign with Harris two days later, Saturday, Oct. 26 in Michigan, marking the first day of statewide early voting in Michigan.
The campaign did not immediately provide additional details including the cities of the events.
It’s the first time Michelle Obama – who addressed the Democratic National Convention in Chicago earlier this summer – has hit the campaign trail for Harris. And it will be the first time either of the Obamas have campaigned directly alongside Harris ahead of the Nov. 5 election.
Barack Obama returned to the campaign trail last week with a solo campaign rally in Pittsburgh for Harris. The former president ripped Trump repeatedly in his speech, saying there’s “no evidence that this man thinks about anybody but himself.”
And in remarks earlier at a Harris campaign office, Obama admonished Black men reluctant to support Harris, suggesting that some aren’t rallying behind her candidacy because she is a woman. He urged them to get off the sidelines and back Harris.
–Joey Garrison
Former President Donald Trump used his spotlight at a Catholic charity dinner Thursday to hurl insults and attacks on targets ranging from the absent Vice President Kamala Harris to former New York Mayor Bill DeBlasio.
Trump drew some groans and boos from the white-tied audience at the 79th annual Al Smith dinner, including what even he called a “nasty” joke about the breakup of the first marriage of Harris spouse Douglas Emhoff. Trump attacked Harris on items ranging from her late entry into the race to the way she laughs.
–David Jackson
There are 17 days until election day. Check out our election countdown clock here.
–Kinsey Crowley
Harris and Trump are neck-and-neck in national polls as Election Day approaches. In a Real Clear Politics average of national polls, Harris leads Trump by 1.5 percentage points.
It’s even closer in the pivotal swing states. For example, Trump leads Harris by 1.1 percentage points in Arizona in a Real Clear Politics polling average.
– Marina Pitofsky
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Donald Trump is holding a rally in Detroit, Michigan, on Friday.
Last week, Trump gave a speech to the Detroit Economic Club, outlining his agenda for raising tariffs as a way to help the auto industry but also criticizing Detroit as a nationwide model.
Trump is also scheduled to appear in Oakland County, which is northwest of Detroit, on Friday. He’ll be hosted by a group called Building America’s Future for a roundtable event that is also scheduled to include Republican Mike Rogers – who’s vying for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat against U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin.
– Todd Spangler, Clara Hendrickson
Harris will be in Michigan on Friday for three events – Grand Rapids, Lansing and Oakland County. She will return to Detroit on Saturday for her fifth event of the week in the Great Lakes State.
– Rachel Barber
