On a recent Saturday, former president Donald Trump publicly declined the opportunity for a second debate with Vice President Kamala Harris before the November 5 election. Trump’s rationale? It’s “too late,” with early voting already underway in several states.
Earlier that day, Harris’s campaign stated that she had accepted an invitation from esteemed broadcaster CNN to participate in a debate on October 23. This would have been the second encounter between the candidates, following a September 10 debate, which a majority of pundits suggested Harris had successfully navigated.
“The American people deserve another opportunity to see Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump debate before they cast their ballots,” argued Harris’s campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon.
Trump, however, views the situation differently. During a campaign rally in the battleground state of North Carolina, he ironically expressed interest in a debate, referring to it as “good entertainment value.” Yet, he claimed that the initiation of early voting in some states had deflated the proposition. “It’s just too late, voting has already started,” he concluded.
Trump further added that CNN, while being “very fair” during his debate with President Joe Biden in June, would not offer the same level of fairness this time around.
Voting underway
Trump’s announcement aligned with the start of early voting in some states, contributing further tension to an already close race. The outcome is anticipated to hinge on seven battleground states, including North Carolina.
Trump’s stance was delivered behind bulletproof glass in Wilmington, following an alleged second assassination attempt. A gunman was discovered on his golf course in Florida the previous Sunday, with security agents thwarting any plan to harm the former president. In July, Trump was nicked by a bullet at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, revealing shocking security breaches by the US Secret Service.
Anti-immigrant rhetoric
Trump’s speech in North Carolina bolstered the hardline anti-immigrant rhetoric that has become a staple of his campaign. He made false claims about migrants “attacking villages and cities all throughout the Midwest.”
Conversely, Harris is aiming to flip the southeastern state for Democrats, banking on her support from African Americans and young voters. Trump won North Carolina in the 2020 election against Biden.
The former president faces a new challenge in North Carolina following a scandalous report revealing that Mark Robinson, the Republican candidate for governor whom Trump has endorsed, had made inflammatory comments on a porn website message board over a decade ago.
The presidential race remains neck-and-neck and every vote will count in the election, whose result Trump has once again refused to say he will accept if he loses. Trump faces legal charges for allegedly attempting to overturn the 2020 result, which led to his supporters violently storming the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
As the political scene in North Florida continues to evolve, we will keep you updated with the latest news and insights. Stay tuned.
