The shifting Electoral College map in the presidential race between Harris, Trump
Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris selects Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. Texas Democrats believe Walz can help in battleground states, but the Trump-Vance campaign and a North Texas Congressman are pushing back against the ticket. Plus, the man who oversees security at 1,200 school districts across the state speaks with political reporter Jack Fink about how prepared campuses are as students head back to school.
Jack covers these stories and more in the latest episode of Eye on Politics (original air date: Aug. 11, 2024).
Shifting Electoral College map
While Vice President Kamala Harris became her party's nominee and named Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, the polls in the battleground states have been moving in her direction and away from former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance.
This began happening after President Biden announced he would not run for reelection.
Because of the polls, the Cook Political Report has now moved three states back into the "toss-up" column: Arizona, Nevada and Georgia. They were "lean Republican." The Cook Political Report had shifted these three states toward former President Trump just before President Biden announced he wouldn't run for reelection. Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania remain "toss-up" states.
These six states will be where the election is won.
Ticket set
After Vice President Harris announced Walz as her running mate, the pair wasted no time hitting the trail in the key battleground states.
They campaigned together for the first time Tuesday in Philadelphia, then began a tour of the other battleground states.
"He is the kind of person who makes people feel like they belong and then inspires them to dream big and that is the kind of vice president he will be," Harris said of Walz in a speech during that event.
During his speech, Walz credited his former students as the reason he initially decided to run for office.
"They saw in me what I was hoping to instill in them: a commitment of common good," he said.
On the campaign trail, Harris said she'd like to bring down prices that are still too high and advocated for affordable healthcare, childcare and housing. She also vowed to protect voting rights and reproductive or abortion rights.
Democratic Congressman Marc Veasey of Fort Worth knows Walz from his time as a member of Congress. He told Jack he believes Walz will help Democrats win key battleground states.
Watch Jack's interview with Veasey below.
State Rep. Victoria Neave Criado, a Mesquite Democrat who's also Chair of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, also praised Walz and what he adds to the ticket.
Watch Jack's interview with Neave Criado below.
Meanwhile, Trump and his running mate Vance instantly criticized Walz as "weak, failed and dangerously liberal."
North Texas Congressman Jake Ellzey also weighed in on the race.
Watch Jack's interview with Ellzey below.
New school safety system
Most North Texas students return to the classroom this week.
Several weeks ago, the Texas Education Agency implemented the Sentinel School Safety System, a first-of-its-kind system that will track how well schools keep strangers out of their buildings, identify students who pose risks and how vulnerable school campuses are. It cost the state $2 million to implement the program.
It won't cost the school districts anything, but they are required to participate. Jack spoke with the Chief of School Safety and Security at TEA, John Scott about how it works.
Watch Jack's interview with Scott below.