Web Desk
An election year that has unfolded against the backdrop of economic turmoil, the elimination of federal abortion rights and broad concerns about the future of democracy is concluding with a final full day of campaigning in which leaders of both parties will issue urgent appeals to their supporters.
President Joe Biden is holding a Monday evening rally in Maryland, where Democrats have one of their best opportunities to reclaim a Republican-held governor’s seat. The appearance is in line with Biden’s late-campaign strategy of sticking largely to Democratic strongholds rather than stumping in more competitive territory, where control of Congress may ultimately be decided.
Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump will hold his final rally of the campaign in Ohio. As he readies another run for the White House, Ohio holds special meaning for the former president because it was one of the first places where he was able to prove his enduring power among Republican voters.
His backing of JD Vance was crucial in helping the author and venture capitalist – and one-time Trump critic – secure the GOP’s nomination for a Senate seat.
With more than 41 million ballots already cast, Monday’s focus will be ensuring that supporters either meet early voting deadlines or make plans to show up in person on Tuesday. The results will have a powerful effect on the final two years of Biden’s presidency, shaping policy on everything from government spending to military support for Ukraine.
In the first national election since the violent January 6 insurrection, the final days of the campaign focused on fundamental questions about the nation’s political values.
Campaigning in New York for Governor Kathy Hochul on Sunday, Biden said Republicans were willing to condone last year’s mob attack at the US Capitol and that, after the recent assault on Paul Pelosi, husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, some in that party made “light of it” or were “making excuses”. “There’s never been a time in my career where we’ve glorified violence based on a political preference,” the president said.
Meanwhile, during a Sunday evening Trump rally in Miami, a reference to Nancy Pelosi prompted chants of “Lock her up!” – a stark reminder of the nation’s deep political divide.
