In Waterford, Michigan, Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, conducted campaign events on Friday as part of a series of stops throughout the state. Simultaneously, former President Donald Trump addressed a rally in Detroit. These activities took place just before the commencement of early voting in Michigan, a key swing state, on Saturday.
In the final 17 days leading up to the 2024 presidential election, with polling suggesting a tight race, both Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris actively campaigned in Michigan, focusing on the future of American manufacturing while questioning each other’s qualifications for the presidency. While both candidates have been traveling extensively across swing states, Friday marked the first instance where their campaign activities overlapped, both holding events in the suburbs north of Detroit.
Harris addressed a crowd at a rally along a riverbank in Grand Rapids, asserting that Trump has a history of making grand promises without follow-through. Grand Rapids, located in Kent County, has traditionally been a Republican stronghold, though Democrats gained traction there in the previous election cycle. Harris highlighted Trump’s failures, stating that during his presidency, America lost approximately 200,000 manufacturing jobs, including significant losses in Michigan.
Conversely, Trump appeared at an economic roundtable in Oakland County, engaging with small business owners and police officers who voiced concerns about community challenges. After a prelude that included a discussion on a potential crime summit in Venezuela and remarks about free trade, Trump praised a participant wearing a Teamsters shirt and predicted a revival of industries in the U.S.
Historically a Republican territory, Oakland County has leaned Democratic since 1996, and Harris’s campaign aims to build upon this by appealing to college-educated voters and women dissatisfied with Trump.
Later in Detroit, Trump’s rally was disrupted by technical issues, with his microphone failing for about 20 minutes. Once restored, Trump promised an economic resurgence under his administration, a stark contrast to earlier critical remarks about Detroit, which had been met with backlash.
Both candidates devoted attention to questioning each other’s suitability for presidential duties. Harris accused Trump of evading debates and canceling interviews, citing exhaustion, questioning his readiness for the presidency’s demands. Trump, in turn, defended his rigorous schedule and criticized Harris as lacking intelligence.
While in Lansing, Harris campaigned with union workers, referencing auto plant closures during Trump’s administration and highlighting a Biden administration grant that preserved around 650 auto jobs in Lansing. She cited Trump comments deemed negative towards the United Autoworkers during her discussion and criticized his running mate JD Vance for dismissing the grant’s importance. Harris urged union workers to recognize Trump’s perceived disregard for their contributions.
In sum, both candidates concentrated on manufacturing issues while engaging in personal critiques surrounding their competence to assume the presidency.
