The whole country is on the edge of their seats waiting for Nov. 5. A day that every four years determines the future of our country, the election. As the 2024 election nears, the candidates, republican Donald Trump and democrat Kamala Harris take final actions to secure voters.
At their most recent debate the two clashed, leaving their supporting parties divided. Harris fought Trump over the Capitol Riot in 2021 and women’s rights, while Trump targeted Harris for her vice presidential actions during the current presidency. He focused on inflation and how her views have changed since the last election.
After this, Trump decided to participate in more spontaneous activities such as working at a fast food restaurant for a day. On Sunday, Oct. 20, Trump worked at a McDonald’s in Philadelphia for an hour serving fries and chatting with customers in the drive through. His idea was that in doing this he would get under the skin of his opponent, as she has said she used to work at a fast food restaurant. Trump does not believe her claim, he views that as a way for her to get more credit as being part of the working class.
Along with this, Trump has also taken steps to address the hurricane damage in North Carolina. There, 95 people have passed and the damage left over is severe. As he visited the destroyed towns he hoped to bring hope and encouragement to those struggling. He also took this as an opportunity to bash his opponent. Speaking at a press conference, he talked about how money that should be going to these people is being sent to help immigrants. This ties his trip back to the campaign and beliefs on illegal immigration and its dangers.
On the other hand, Harris is taking her own actions. She is mainly focused on winning over the younger crowd of voters who may be undecided at the moment. In order to do this, she went on a popular podcast run by Alex Cooper, the “Call Her Daddy” podcast. This show typically involves Cooper talking with her guests about women, mental health, and a variety of other topics. When Harris was on the show, their main points of conversation were reproductive health, women’s rights, and her own family, major campaign topics for her. While this was a way for Harris to reach a new audience, Cooper remains neutral in her politics, saying she was not trying to endorse Harris through this.
Harris is also putting her time into swing states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Her and Trump both have a chance in these places, so she’s putting all her extra effort into them through rallies and visits. She even missed the Al Smith Dinner in New York for these states. This is an event put on by Catholics and it is expected that the presidential candidates will attend. Her absence may have an effect on her popularity among Catholic voters, as this is a tradition.
While the two opponents have different tactics, they are still both taking advantage of technology, especially TikTok, to grow their platform. By using social media, the candidates can reach a new audience and paint a picture of themselves that isn’t seen very often in the world of politics.
Trump has gained a huge following on TikTok through dancing and posing for pictures. His account is focused on influencers, as he is supported by both Jake and Logan Paul, popular YouTubers. He is also relying on slogans, to make him seem like the fun, cheerful candidate to the younger voters who are active on the app.
Similarly, Harris is also using pop culture to her advantage. She uses popular music sounds and the younger members of her campaign team are making edits of her. Just like Trump, she is also getting celebrity shoutouts. Popular music artist Charlie XCX vocalizes her support for Harris through her media platform.
While social media can be used as a good tool for campaigns, it can also assist in spreading rumors, a big problem in the election. Younger viewers tend to believe almost anything that they see on social media, so candidates and their supporters can use this to their advantage by spreading rumors about the other opponent. Young voters can be easily swayed to the other side once they see something. This is both a harmful and helpful tool for the candidates.
As Nov. 5 approaches, remaining true to one’s beliefs is key. Trump and Harris are working at full force to secure their campaign, doing whatever it takes to change voters minds.
