The race for Wisconsin is heating up, with Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump neck and neck as we approach the 2024 election.
This pivotal state is crucial for determining the next president. Harris initially had a slight advantage, but as November 5 approaches, the gap has narrowed significantly.
In 2020, President Joe Biden flipped Wisconsin from Trump, winning by a mere 0.63 points, or about 20,000 votes. In Trump’s 2016 victory over Hillary Clinton, he won by just 0.7 points. The stakes are high as this key swing state could once again be in play.
According to FiveThirtyEight, Harris is currently leading Trump by an average of 0.4 points across recent polls. A Quinnipiac University poll found both candidates tied at 48% among 1,108 likely voters.
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A poll by Morning Consult and Bloomberg also had them even at 48%, while a Trafalgar Group survey recorded both candidates at 46.8% among 1,083 likely voters.
Another poll by Redfield and Wilton Strategies showed Harris slightly ahead at 47% to Trump’s 46%, though the results fall within the margin of error. Conversely, a recent report from Napolitan News placed Trump one point ahead, which is also a tight race given the margin of error.
Both campaigns are focusing heavily on Wisconsin in the lead-up to the election. Harris visited three cities last Thursday to rally support just before early voting began.
Former President Barack Obama joined her in Madison for a “get out the vote” rally, emphasizing the tight nature of the race. “When the stakes are the highest, winners are the ones who step up,” said Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who joined Obama at the event.
Trump has also been active, making four campaign stops in Wisconsin early this month and expressing confidence about his prospects. “They say that Wisconsin is probably the toughest of the swing states to win. I don’t think so,” he stated during a recent gathering.
Early voting is off to a strong start, with over 97,000 people casting absentee ballots on the first day, surpassing 2020’s 80,000. As of Wednesday, nearly 475,460 absentee ballots have been returned. With more than 3.5 million registered voters in the state and registration ongoing until Election Day, every vote will count.