Harris, Trump visit Texas to push campaign priorities ahead of Election Day
In a surprising turn of events, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are both bringing their presidential campaigns to Texas.
Their visits on Friday come just 11 days before Election Day, coinciding with early voting in the Lone Star State. While Texas typically leans Republican and is not a battleground state, it is becoming increasingly competitive.
Trump will not hold a rally but will address reporters in Austin, joined by Senator Ted Cruz. The former president will discuss border security and crimes attributed to migrants, including murders.
During his time in Texas, Trump will appear on Joe Rogan's podcast, which reportedly has over 14 million followers, including many young men. Analysts suggest that this demographic, previously less likely to vote, is now showing a growing interest.
Jim Henson, Director of the Texas Politics Project, said the young men's votes could prove decisive in the tight presidential race, especially in the seven battleground states. "Even the smallest sliver of voters can make a difference and so while this even is happening in Texas, the consequences are going to reach far beyond it because Joe Rogan has a national audience," he said.
Meanwhile, Vice President Harris will be in Houston, where she will participate in an interview with author and motivational speaker Brené Brown on her podcast. Later, she will hold a rally in downtown Houston focusing on abortion rights.
Notable artists like Beyoncé and Willie Nelson are set to attend the rally, along with Democratic Senate candidate Congressman Colin Allred, who campaigned in Plano last night. Allred has positioned abortion rights as a major issue during his campaign, but it's the first time he will be with the Vice President at a rally.
"Given that is the theme and focus of this rally, I think clearly he wants to associate himself with that and try to capitalize on that issue in the same way that Kamala Harris is doing," said SMU Political Science Professor Matthew Wilson.
Polling indicates that Cruz leads Allred in the Real Clear Politics average by 4.2 percentage points, while Trump has a 6.0-point lead over Harris in Texas.
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