Indus Valley Times

NEW DELHI, NOV 5 : With the 2024 US presidential election set to go down the wire, it will be up to the seven swing states to determine the fate of Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, 60, and her Republican rival and former President Donald Trump, 78. These pivotal states — Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin — have 93 electoral votes and are the primary battlegrounds as both candidates vie for the 270 of the total 538 electoral votes required to secure the presidency.

Swing states, or battleground states, are those that can shift between Democratic and Republican support depending on the election. These states, with historically narrow voting margins and varied outcomes over time, draw significant attention from candidates, who focus their campaigns there to sway voters and secure crucial electoral votes. On the final day of campaigning, both Harris and Trump held marathon rallies in Pennsylvania, the largest of the swing states with 19 electoral college votes.

The US presidential election is set for November 5.

While all seven states are essential to either campaign, three states in particular — Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin — are crucial for Harris’s path to victory. Known as the “Blue Wall”, these states were reliable Democratic strongholds until Trump flipped all three in 2016, breaking the Democrats’ winning streak in the region.

In 2020, Joe Biden reclaimed these states for the Democrats, but by narrow margins, highlighting their competitive nature and making them must-wins for Harris in 2024.

Pennsylvania (19 Electoral Votes): Historically, Pennsylvania has leaned towards the Democrats, but Trump’s narrow 2016 win by just 0.7% underscored its battleground status. In 2020, Biden reclaimed Pennsylvania by a 1.2% margin, but it remains highly competitive. With the state having 19 electoral votes, winning Pennsylvania would provide a significant boost to Harris’s White House hopes. Both the campaigns fervently wooed the state’s large working-class and unionised communities.

Michigan (15 Electoral Votes): Another key part of the “Blue Wall”, Michigan has consistently voted for the winning candidate in recent elections. Trump’s 2016 victory in Michigan was a major upset, marking the first Republican win there since 1988. In 2020, Biden won Michigan by a margin of about 154,000 votes, thanks in part to support from the state’s significant Arab-American population. Retaining Michigan in 2024 is seen as vital for Harris, as its 15 electoral votes could prove decisive in a close race.

Wisconsin (10 Electoral Votes): The state has voted for the winning candidate in the last two elections, but by razor-thin margins. Winning Wisconsin will be crucial for Harris, as flipping or retaining it could make or break the overall balance in a tight election.

-PTI