In a final campaign push ahead of the 2024 U.S. presidential election, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are set for a showdown in Pennsylvania—a critical swing state that could determine the outcome. 

The candidates are locked in a dead heat nationwide and in key battlegrounds, with Pennsylvania emerging as a high-stakes battleground under the Electoral College system. Both Harris and Trump will hold rival rallies in Pittsburgh on Monday, underscoring the state’s pivotal role in the election.

High Stakes and Fierce Rhetoric

The stakes are immense, with both candidates seeking to galvanize their supporters. Harris, who ascended to the top of the Democratic ticket after President Joe Biden’s unexpected withdrawal, is campaigning heavily on women’s rights and reproductive issues, particularly targeting female voters who could be pivotal in a close race. 

She has called for unity and painted her campaign as a movement of “momentum,” while Trump is doubling down on aggressive rhetoric, emphasizing immigration issues, economic grievances, and what he calls the “enemies from within.”

Trump’s rhetoric has stirred controversy, with inflammatory remarks about journalists, election fraud claims, and graphic depictions of crimes by undocumented immigrants. Recently, he hinted at regret over leaving the White House in 2020 and criticized his opponents in harsh terms, which has raised concerns about how he might respond to potential election defeat.

Campaign Strategies and High-Profile Supporters

The campaign trail has seen both candidates employ prominent surrogates. Harris has leaned on endorsements from former President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, and pop icon Beyoncé, while Trump has received backing from Elon Musk, the right-wing tech billionaire who has stirred debate with million-dollar giveaways to voters.

In addition to Pennsylvania, both candidates are making appearances in other crucial states. Trump’s final day includes rallies in North Carolina and Michigan, while Harris will also appeal to her base in Michigan, particularly focusing on the state’s Arab-American community, which has criticized the U.S. response to the Israel-Hamas conflict. 

Harris has pledged to take a strong stance toward peace in Gaza, a move that could resonate with voters critical of U.S. policy in the region.

Bitter rivals Kamala Harris and Donald Trump embark on a final frenzied campaign blitz Monday with both hitting must-win Pennsylvania on the last day of the tightest and most volatile US presidential election in memory. 

Republican Trump has promised a "landslide" as he seeks a sensational return to the White House, while Democrat Harris said the "momentum" was on the side of her bid to be America's first woman president.     
    
But the polls suggest a different story on the eve of Election Day -- total deadlock in surveys nationally and in the seven swing states where the result is expected to be decided.     
    
Now a race of dramatic twists, including two bids to kill Trump and Harris's shock late entrance, is coming down to the most viciously fought-over battleground.     
    
Harris will spend the whole day campaigning in the rust-belt state of Pennsylvania, culminating in a huge rally in its biggest city Philadelphia featuring singer Lady Gaga. Trump will travel to North Carolina, Pennsylvania and then Michigan.     
    
In a sign of how crucial Pennsylvania is to their chances of occupying the Oval Office, Trump and Harris will even hold dueling rallies in the industrial city of Pittsburgh.     
    
Pennsylvania is the single biggest swing state prize under the US Electoral College system, which awards influence in line with population.  They have both embarked on a frenetic zig-zag through the swing states, with raucous rallies and even an appearance by Harris on the famed television show "Saturday Night Live."     
    
On the campaign trail Sunday, Trump mused to supporters that he wouldn't mind if journalists were shot, raised baseless allegations of election fraud and dwelt in gory detail on crimes by undocumented immigrants.