I said it would be Kamala Harris a tough candidate summer day President Joe Biden stepped aside in the 2024 presidential race and endorsed her.

My reasons include Harris being a Howard University graduate and Alpha Kappa Alpha Inc. as a member he had deep ties to historically influential Black institutions; its strength with women and young voters; and her past as a prosecutor running against a man in trouble with the law.

Since then, I have seen vice presidents, former U.S. senators, and former California attorneys general benefit from these assets. During Harris’ rise to the top of the Democratic ticket, Divine Nine — leading Black Greek letter organizations — released a joint statement saying they would work for him. A fundraiser for Black Women for Harris surfaced on social media and was followed by numerous similar efforts, including: White Men for Harris.

Idea: I was at Trump’s Fayetteville town hall. He wasn’t like Trump in 2016.

I have seen Harris and vice president Tim Walz improve their party’s standing with women, young people and minority voters. It even increased its numbers dramatically among Black men, who some polls show have less faith in Harris’ candidacy.

Meanwhile, he raised $1 billion through fundraising in the three months he was in the race.

Election day is approaching on Tuesday, November 5, and tens of millions of Americans have already voted, including me. (In North Carolina, early voting and same-day registration continues until 3 p.m. Saturday)

The race remains statistically tied, especially in the swing state of North Carolina. last two surveys from Elon University and WRAL show definite ties.

Idea: Republicans think it will be easy to beat Kamala Harris. They are wrong

But I get the feeling that Harris closed well and that Trump was pushing for a winning message. Which campaign voters will participate in will determine the election.

That’s why I think the vice president has more than a minute of momentum and can carry him to victory.

Kamala Harris’s message about abortion attracts attention

Harris’ strong defense of reproductive rights comes after US Supreme Court decision Dobbs’ decision This is Roe v. It ended Wade’s federal protections regarding abortion. He spent some of his campaign wealth crafting messages that dramatically illustrated social media and traditional media. dangers women face After Roe was overturned.

Idea: Kamala Harris rallied in Fayetteville. I was there. Days later the election changed

This is one of the reasons why I believe Harris is trending toward significant support from white women for the Democratic nomination; While polls show him trailing Trump by three to four points with that demographic, Trump trails Biden by 12 points. By the way, I predict Harris will win. 95% of black women and that’s not a typo.

gender difference According to a USA TODAY/University of Suffolk poll, there is a wide range in this race; women support Harris by 53% to 36%, and men support Trump by 53% to 37%.

But if you’re a betting type, you might want to give your chips to the women. They happened constantly vote for men During the early voting period.

In North Carolina, where both party and independent voters vote heavily, female voters are 10 points ahead of men, 52% to 42%. by numbers From the NC State Board of Elections. This gender gap parallels national early voting figures.

Harris is doing well among older Americans against Trump for a Democrat

By the way, I also think Harris will capture the majority of older Americans; That’s a rare occurrence for Democratic presidential candidates these days. he continues a thin bullet Latest polls show him ahead of Trump in the over-65 age group.

Biden had already closed the gap with the top players in his victory against Trump in 2020, narrowing it to a 3-point gap; It was 9 points with Hillary Clinton and 6 points with Barack Obama. According to the news in the New Republic.

I believe most seniors find Harris’ vision for the presidency less chaotic than Trump’s bleak worldview. They probably also like the positive and inspiring way you talk about our country. It feels familiar and feels better.

Can Republicans make a difference for Harris?

Then there are the Republicans. Harris saw an opportunity in the growing number of Republicans who oppose Trump for a variety of reasons, including fears he would subvert democracy. Those leaving the GOP include staunch conservatives like former Rep. Liz Cheney, who joined the campaign alongside Harris and Trump’s former chief of staff, retired four-star Gen. John Kelly. who said that recently Trump will rule like a dictator and meet the definition of “fascist.” More than 100 Republican officials signed a public letter I support Harris.

Traditionally, presidential candidates in both parties receive about 10% of the votes from the other party come Election Day. Harris is on track to do better, leading Trump 51% to 46% in a recent ABC News poll.

American voters loyal to one party sometimes flirt with switching sides during a campaign, but return home come election time. Many Republicans are actually homeless this election season; from the party they love, Trump and his dangerous rhetoric, his criminal record, corrupt business practices, sexual assault allegations and acceptances, deep-rooted dishonesty and long-standing rude behavior.

GenZ is preparing a shock for US voters

I still think GenZ is underrated in both polls and political conversations. Approximately 41 million people aged 18 to 27 will have the right to vote and they vote at higher rates more than previous generations of young people.

This time they will shock the world with how big they vote. Harris is in the best position among these voters, polling 20 to 30 points ahead of Trump.

Still, I’m talking to old political hands who are skeptical when I bring up young voter enthusiasm.

“Yes, but will they vote?” is a common counterpoint.

To which I immediately answer: “This time they will.”

Trump’s dark election strategy and the lies that come with it

There’s a reason why Harris is profiting from these different groups. Despite the objections of his opponent, Donald Trump, his personal story of a middle-class upbringing resonated with both Black and Indian cultures. tries to tear it apart.

His message of expanding child care, helping people start businesses and buy homes is far more appealing than the apocalyptic America Trump portrays.

His campaign took on even darker and more broken forms on the home front. Attacked and spread freely on immigrants useless lies About federal disaster relief as our fellow North Carolinians are already suffering after Hurricane Helene.

He continued to cast doubt on US elections and always belittled America. In a recent speech in the swing state of Arizona, Trump declared that when it comes to immigration, the United States. “A dustbin for the world.”

Two different visions on Harris, Trump and DC’s Ellipse

What a contrast Harris made in her speech Tuesday night “closing argument” He will return to D.C. to Howard University to watch the returns on Tuesday night at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C.

This past Tuesday, he singled out the spot where Trump incited the deadly riots and failed insurrection of January 6, 2021.

“Just because someone disagrees with us doesn’t make them the ‘enemy within,'” Harris said, referencing Trump’s exact description of his fellow Americans. “They are family, they are neighbors, they are classmates, they are co-workers. They are Americans. And as Americans, we rise together and we fall together.

“America, we have been consumed with so much division, chaos, and mutual distrust for too long, and then it can be easy to forget one simple truth. It doesn’t have to be this way. “It doesn’t have to be this way.”

Opinion Editor Myron B. Pitts can be reached at [email protected] or 910-486-3559.

This article first appeared in The Fayetteville Observer: Opinion: Harris’ closing argument on Trump in election was a winner