2024 United States presidential election

For the elections in the United States in general, see 2024 United States elections.

2024 United States presidential election

November 5, 2024
538 members of the Electoral College 270 electoral votes needed to win
Opinion polls
Reporting	87% as of 7:20 am; November 6, 2024 EST
Nominee Donald Trump Kamala Harris Party Republican Democratic Home state Florida California Running mate JD Vance Tim Walz Projected electoral vote 276 222 States carried 27 + ME-02 18 + DC + NE-02 Popular vote 71,352,277 66,415,077 Percentage 51.0% 47.5%
Presidential election results map. Blue denotes states projected for Harris/Walz. Red denotes states projected for Trump/Vance. Gray denotes states where a winner is to be determined. Numbers indicate how many electoral votes each state has.
President before election Joe Biden Democratic President after election Donald Trump Republican

The 2024 United States presidential election, held on November 5, marked the 60th quadrennial presidential election. The Republican candidates, former president Donald Trump and Ohio senator JD Vance, defeated the Democratic incumbent, Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. At approximiately 1:46 am EST on November 6, 2024, after Trump had secured over 270 electoral votes, the Fox News Decision Desk projected former president Trump had defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in what they termed as "a stunning victory, delivering him a second term in the White House after a historic election cycle filled with unprecedented twists and turns and two attempts on his life." Trump became the first president to serve two nonconsecutive terms since Grover Cleveland in 1892. As of 6:30pm November 6, 2024 Trump secured the popular vote with 72,234,670 votes (50.9%), and 295 electoral votes whereas Harris secured 226 electoral votes, and 67,468,223 votes (47.6%). Senator Bernie Moreno at his Watch Party in Westlake said, "Today starts a new wave. We talked about wanting a red wave; I think what we have tonight is a red, white and blue wave in this country." On November 7, 2024 the Arizona vote count was finalized, making Trump the first presidential candidate in 40 years to win the key swing states, prevailing in Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina.

Initially, President Joe Biden sought re-election but faced concerns about his age and mental health following his debate with Trump, prompting calls for his withdrawal, which he announced on July 21, 2024. Absent a primary, or other means of voting by the people for Biden's replacement, Biden endorsed Harris, and she became the Democratic nominee on August 5, selecting Walz as her running mate.

After his loss in 2020, Trump ran again, won the Republican primary, and was nominated with Vance at the 2024 Republican National Convention. He had faced multiple legal challenges including 34 convictions that he refers to as a sham, pleaded not guilty to, and vowed to appeal. Many believe the charges were politically motivated to interfere in the 2024 presidential election.

The federal and state prosecutions involving Trump, led by Special Counsel Jack Smith, face significant challenges, particularly due to the intricacies of presidential pardon powers and separation of powers principles upheld by the Supreme Court. While federal cases could potentially cease if Trump pardons himself—which many anticipate the Supreme Court would support—the ability to halt state prosecutions remains contentious. The Justice Department’s interpretations often require such state proceedings to be paused during a president's term. Civil cases, meanwhile, may proceed under precedents set by the Supreme Court, provided they don't impede presidential duties. Public perception, particularly concerning politically motivated prosecutions spearheaded by Democratic officials, further complicates the landscape, with adversaries urged to reassess their strategies, reflecting voter sentiments wary of their political bias.

The presidential election took place at the same time as elections for the U.S. Senate, House, state governorships, and state legislatures. Republicans won control of the Senate with 52 Republicans and 44 Democrats. The count is open for the House as of 6:30pm CST November 6, 2024, with 207 Republicans and 187 Democrats. Key swing states for the presidential election included Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

President-elect Donald Trump has had several charges dismissed following his victory on November 5, 2024. Special Counsel Jack Smith announced the dismissal of both the 2020 election interference case and the classified documents case against Trump. These decisions were influenced by legal precedents and recommendations from the Justice Department, with Trump pleading not guilty to all charges. Additionally, Trump is seeking to have the remaining criminal charges in Georgia dismissed before his inauguration. The U.S. Supreme Court has also rejected a bid to lift the gag order in the New York hush-money case.

Election interference

Main article: Election interference

Interference by foreign nations

Before the election, U.S. officials and former officials stated that foreign interference in the 2024 election was likely. Three major factors cited were "America's deepening domestic political crises, the collapse of controversial attempts to control political speech on social media, and the rise of generative AI." China, Russia, and Iran have since all been identified as mounting influence operations and attempts to interfere with the 2024 election. US intelligence officials have described the efforts as part of broader efforts by authoritarian nations to use the internet to erode support for democracy.

China

Further information: Chinese interference in the 2024 United States elections

China has been identified as interfering with the 2024 election through propaganda and disinformation campaigns linked to its Spamouflage operation. US intelligence agencies described the effort as not targeting any particular candidate, but focusing on issues important to the Chinese government such as Taiwan, and "undermining confidence in elections, voting, and the U.S. in general." As early as April 1, 2024, The New York Times reported that the Chinese government had created fake pro-Trump accounts on social media "promoting conspiracy theories, stoking domestic divisions and attacking President Biden ahead of the election in November."

Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed a preference for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the U.S. election, suggesting that her success might lead to fewer sanctions on Russia. This statement follows Putin's earlier remarks favoring Joe Biden, whom he described as more experienced and predictable than Donald Trump. Meanwhile, allegations of Russian interference in U.S. elections have persisted, with accusations that Moscow is using state media to spread disinformation. These actions are seen as part of a larger strategy to influence American electoral outcomes, reflecting ongoing concerns about Russia's attempts to meddle in U.S. politics. Experts suggest Putin's endorsement of Harris may serve as another layer in Russia's efforts to disrupt the political landscape in the United States.

Iran

Further information: Iranian interference in the 2024 United States elections

Iran has been identified as interfering with the 2024 presidential election through front companies connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps through hacking attempts against the Trump, Biden, and Harris campaigns starting as early as May 2024. Iran has launched propaganda and disinformation campaigns through fake news websites and accounts on social media to tip the election against former president Trump. The New York Times stated the efforts were an attempt at "sowing internal discord and discrediting the democratic system in the United States more broadly in the eyes of the world."

Voter roll purges

Further information: Republican efforts to restrict voting following the 2020 presidential election

Multiple Republican-led administrations have removed voters from their state's voter rolls in the lead up to the election, which critics have argued violates the National Voter Registration Act.

In July 2024, 160,000 inactive or infrequent voters were removed from Ohio's voter rolls. The Ohio chapters of Common Cause and the League of Women Voters threatened lawsuits against the state over the purge.

In August 2024, Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order removing 6,303 voters suspected of being non-citizens from Virginia's voter rolls. In October 2024, the Department of Justice sued the Virginia Board of Elections and Virginia commissioner of elections over the voter purge, alleging that it violated the National Voter Registration Act. The suit also found a number of alleged non-citizens purged were actually citizens. District judge Patricia Tolliver Giles ruled that the removal was illegal, ordering the state to stop purging voter rolls and to restore the voter registration of more than 1,600 voters who had been removed. The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals then upheld the order. The administration filed an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court, which sided with Virginia in a 6–3 decision, allowing the state to continue purging voter rolls.

In August 2024, Alabama secretary of state Wes Allen announced a process for purging 3,251 registered Alabama voters and referred them to the state attorney general's office for criminal prosecution. In September 2024, the Department of Justice sued Alabama for violating the National Voter Registration Act. In October 2024, district judge Anna Manasco ruled in favor of the Department of Justice, ordering the state to restore the voter registrations. Alabama secretary of state's chief of staff Clay Helms testified that 2,000 of the purged voters were legally registered citizens.

Trials and indictments against Trump

Main article: Indictments against Donald Trump

Further information: Federal prosecution of Donald Trump (election obstruction case), Georgia election racketeering prosecution, Federal prosecution of Donald Trump (classified documents case), Prosecution of Donald Trump in New York, and Personal and business legal affairs of Donald Trump

Charges Dismissed

After the election, Special Counsel Jack Smith announced the dismissal of two major cases against President-elect Donald Trump: the 2020 election interference case and the classified documents case. Trump had pleaded not guilty in both cases. The federal election interference case involved allegations that Trump attempted to overturn the 2020 election results in the two months following Election Day, culminating in the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.

Smith cited a precedent against indicting a sitting president and recommendations from the Justice Department as reasons for dismissing the federal election interference case. In a six-page filing to Judge Tanya Chutkan, Smith stated that the Constitution required the case to be dismissed before Trump's inauguration.

The classified documents case involved allegations that Trump hoarded classified documents after leaving office and impeded government efforts to retrieve them. In 2022, a search of Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort resulted in the seizure of 11,000 documents, including around 100 marked as classified.

Outstanding Cases

Despite the dismissal of these federal cases, Trump still faces other legal challenges. Earlier in the year, Trump was convicted of felony crimes related to a scheme to influence the 2016 election through a "hush money" payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. However, the sentencing for this conviction has been delayed.

In Georgia, Trump faces election subversion charges, with an appeals court considering whether to overturn a ruling allowing Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to stay on the case. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges in both the "hush money" case and the Georgia election interference case.

President-elect Donald Trump is asking a Georgia appeals court to throw out the criminal charges he is facing in the state for seeking to subvert the 2020 election. Trump's attorney, Steve Sadow, argued that a sitting president is immune from indictment or any criminal process, citing Justice Department policies from Bill Clinton’s presidency. Sadow contends that the Georgia court should end the pending case before Trump’s inauguration, which would conclude the only lingering criminal case against him that has not already gone to trial.

The case against Trump in Georgia, where he’s charged with a sweeping racketeering conspiracy for allegedly seeking to corrupt the state’s election results in 2020, has been stuck for months while the lead prosecutor, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, is fighting to remain in charge. Trump and several allies are seeking to disqualify her from the case, claiming she has a financial conflict of interest stemming from her romantic relationship with a former lead prosecutor. The Georgia Court of Appeals froze the case earlier this year while it considers that dispute.

Legal and Political Reactions

Following Trump's victory in the 2024 presidential election, Special Counsel Jack Smith signaled his intention to wind down his cases against Trump. Smith filed motions to dismiss the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol breach case and to drop his appeal in the classified records case, which had been previously dismissed by federal Judge Aileen Cannon.

Trump's legal team argued that he was immune from prosecution for official presidential acts, a position upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. This ruling forced Smith to file new indictments, to which Trump also pleaded not guilty.

Trump's spokesman, Steven Cheung, hailed the DOJ's decision to end the federal cases as a major victory for the rule of law, emphasizing the need to end the political weaponization of the justice system.

Trump himself took to Truth Social to denounce the cases against him as "empty and lawless," criticizing state prosecutors and district attorneys for their roles in the investigations.

The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected a bid to lift the gag order barring Donald Trump from making public statements about officials involved in the New York criminal hush-money case that saw the president-elect convicted on dozens of felony charges. In an order on December 9, 2024, the high court declined an application that sought to appeal the gag order set by Acting New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan. During the criminal trial, Merchan prohibited Trump from speaking about witnesses, prosecutors, jurors, or court staffers and their family members.

Donald Trump has also asked a New York state judge to dismiss the criminal case in which he was convicted in May of 34 felony counts involving hush money paid to a porn star, in light of his victory in the November 5 U.S. presidential election. Trump's lawyers argued that having Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's case hang over him after he takes office on January 20 would impede his ability to govern. The judge has not indicated when he would rule on Trump's motion to dismiss, and has not set a new date for sentencing. He later withdrew his candidacy while stating that he would continue serving as president until the conclusion of his term.

According to a February 2024 poll, Biden's age and health were major or moderate concerns for 86% of voters generally, up from 76% earlier in 2020. According to another 2024 poll, most of those who voted for Biden in 2020 said they believed he was too old to be an effective president; The New York Times noted that these concerns "cut across generations, gender, race and education".

Assassination attempts

Donald Trump standing alongside the fire department uniform of Corey Comperatore, who was killed during the attempted assassination of Trump

On July 13, 2024, Trump survived an assassination attempt while addressing a campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump was shot and wounded on his right ear by Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old man from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, who fired eight rounds with an AR-15–style rifle from the roof of a building located approximately 400 feet (120 meters) from the stage; the shots killed audience member Corey Comperatore and critically injured two other audience members. Seconds later, Crooks was shot and killed by the U.S. Secret Service's counter-sniper team. The motive and cause of the assassination attempt are still under investigation by authorities. On September 11, 2024, a bipartisan Senate report identified tech issues and other preventable mistakes by the Secret Service during the event.

On September 15, 2024, Trump survived a separate assassination attempt by Ryan Wesley Routh at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. The suspect did not fire his weapon, and no deaths or injuries were reported. The suspect, Ryan Routh, is in custody.

Violence towards election workers

Since the 2020 election and continuing into the 2024 election, the election denial movement in the United States has prompted thousands of death threats directed at election workers, officials, and their families, with some receiving letters laced with fentanyl. As of March 2024, the Department of Justice's Election Threats Task Force had charged 20 people with threat-related crimes. In September 2024, suspicious packages were sent to state election officials in Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, Tennessee, and Wyoming. This resulted in evacuations in several states. The inclusion of white powder in most of the packages mirrored the 2001 anthrax attacks, but the substance in the Oklahoma delivery was identified as flour. Threats have led some election workers to resign and have affected recruitment of temporary poll workers. Efforts to protect election workers are diverse, and have included active shooter training, provision of first aid kits and Narcan, bulletproof vests, bulletproof glass, metal detectors, physical barriers, armed guards, police snipers, drones, and security cameras. However, many locations lack the funds to implement such measures.

During early voting in San Antonio, Texas, a voter was arrested and charged for allegedly assaulting an elderly poll worker. The worker reportedly asked the man multiple times to remove his MAGA hat at the polling location. In Texas, it is illegal to wear any clothing showing support of political candidates while in a polling location.

Violence towards voters

On October 30, 2024, a male teenager in Jacksonville, Florida, was arrested for aggravated assault and improper exhibition of a dangerous weapon after brandishing a machete at two women outside an early voting center. He along with seven other teenagers, allegedly approached and antagonized members of the opposing political party as they were demonstrating. Neither the teenager's nor the women's political parties were disclosed, although later posts by the Duval Democratic Party described the teenager's party as a "group of young men carrying Trump flags".

On November 1, 2024, a voter wearing a "Let's Go Brandon" hat was reportedly struck by a poll worker after a verbal altercation over his hat at an Orangeburg County, South Carolina polling location. It is illegal to wear anything supporting a candidate whose name is on the ballot, but wearing a general political message is permitted by South Carolina law.

Arson of ballot boxes

In late October 2024, multiple fires were reported at ballot drop boxes in Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington. The fires damaged hundreds of ballots, requiring election officials to identify and offer new ballots to those affected by the fires. Prior to the fires, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security had issued a bulletin raising concerns that "election-related grievances" could motivate domestic extremist activity and that ballot drop boxes could potentially be "attractive targets". In Phoenix, Arizona, a fire was started in a mail collection box, destroying some ballots and other mail. A suspect was arrested and claimed that the fire was unrelated to the election.

Electoral map

Main article: 2020 United States redistricting cycle

This is the first presidential election to occur after the reapportionment of votes in the United States Electoral College following the 2020 United States census and 2020 United States redistricting cycle.

Swing states

Further information: Red states and blue states and Swing state

Most states are not electorally competitive, and due to cultural differences tend to vote for the same political party every election. Because of the nature of the Electoral College, this means that a limited number of swing states—competitive states that "swing" between the parties—are vital to winning the presidency. These are the Rust Belt states of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania; and the Sun Belt states of Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and North Carolina.

Campaign platforms

Main articles: Kamala Harris 2024 presidential campaign § Platform, Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign § Platform, and 2024 United States elections § Issues

Trump campaign

See also: Trumpism and Rhetoric of Donald Trump

A central campaign theme for Trump's second presidential bid is to "make America great again!" Trump framed the 2024 election as "the final battle," Trump is heavily running on immigration as a central campaign focus. Trump's campaign has focused on the state of the country, the economy, the war in Ukraine and attacks against Israel, predicting doom if Kamala Harris is elected. The Associated Press stated that "Trump's rallies take on the symbols, rhetoric and agenda of Christian nationalism."

During his campaign, Trump's comments were described by his political opponents and the politically propagandized mainstream media as false or misleading. Former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, whose position was terminated by then-President Trump in December 2018, has been highly critical of Trump, having described him as a "fascist" while expressing concerns about his return to the presidency. His statements have been met with strong opposition from former Trump administration officials. Mike Ayers, former Chief of Staff to Vice President Mike Pence, and Mark Paoletta, General Counsel of the Office of Management and Budget, have both publicly refuted Kelly's claims. Paoletta, in particular, accused Kelly of dishonesty and pursuing his own agenda. Trump has referred to Kelly in bold terms, stating that he had an "axe to grind", and accused him of fabricating a story, asserting that nobody would agree with Kelly's claims. He labeled Kelly a "proven liar" and recounted that he lost respect for him after witnessing his inadequacy in the job, leading to Kelly's dismissal. Trump noted that when people are fired, they often make negative comments. In response to Kelly's remarks, Nick Ayers, who served as chief of staff to Mike Pence, defended Trump and labeled Kelly's statements as false and too serious to ignore.

Researchers from Allegheny College, Tarah Williams, Andrew Bloeser and Brian Harward published their observations of Trump in The Conversation stating that about 90% of Republicans support authoritative leaders who take actions against groups seen as opposing American values, according to each respondent's interpretation. Similarly, over half of Democrats agree with this stance. Additionally, nearly half of Republicans and over a third of Democrats who are strong party supporters approve of bending rules to accomplish political goals.

Following are the key issues Trump ran on as described by the Trump campaign:

• Rebuild the Greatest Economy in History

President Donald J. Trump implemented significant tax cuts for the middle class, increased the child tax credit, and eliminated more job-stifling regulations than any previous administration. These actions led to a rapid rise in real wages, the highest median household income in U.S. history, and record-low poverty rates. He also established nearly 9,000 Opportunity Zones aimed at revitalizing underserved areas. Under his leadership, the economy experienced a remarkable recovery, with historic lows in unemployment for African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and women. The current Harris-Biden Administration has been detrimental to American jobs and is exacerbating inflation through excessive government spending. Trump's economic strategy centers on reducing taxes, increasing paychecks, and creating more job opportunities for American workers.

• Fair Trade for the American Worker

Before taking office, Donald Trump understood that true free trade cannot exist when some nations exploit trade rules at the expense of others. During his presidency, he transformed decades of harmful international trade policies into fair and reciprocal agreements that brought jobs, wealth, and manufacturing back to the United States. He terminated the detrimental Trans-Pacific Partnership, revamped NAFTA into the innovative USMCA, and renegotiated the lopsided deal with South Korea. Trump addressed unfair trade practices, imposed tariffs on China that generated billions for the federal treasury, supported American agriculture, and facilitated the opening of thousands of new factories. He aims to introduce a four-year national reshoring initiative that will reduce dependence on China for critical medical and national security supplies and prohibit Chinese ownership of vital U.S. infrastructure. The goal is to restore supply chains and position America as the global leader in manufacturing.

• Unleash Energy Dominance

During President Donald J. Trump's administration, the United States became the leading producer of oil and natural gas worldwide, achieving energy independence and providing consumers and businesses with historically low prices for oil, gas, diesel, and electricity. Trump tapped into the nation's abundant resources of oil, natural gas, and clean coal, endorsing projects like the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines, while also opening federal and offshore areas for responsible energy production and withdrawing from the costly Paris Climate Accord. The Harris-Biden Administration has rolled back these advancements, benefiting foreign adversaries. Trump's plan involves boosting domestic energy production, lowering fuel costs, enhancing energy security for allies, dismantling the socialist Green New Deal, and ensuring that the U.S. is never again dependent on foreign energy sources.

• Secure Borders and Reclaim National Sovereignty

President Donald J. Trump established the most secure border in U.S. history by ending catch-and-release policies, combating human trafficking, and deporting record numbers of illegal alien gang members, along with constructing 450 miles of new border wall. In contrast, the Harris-Biden Administration has turned the nation into a sanctuary for dangerous criminals by suspending immigration enforcement during a global pandemic and reversing critical agreements that safely returned asylum-seekers to Mexico and Central America. The influx of illegal immigrants threatens public safety, burdens public services, and undermines American workers. Trump aims to rectify this situation by reinstating stringent border policies, including ending catch-and-release, revitalizing the Remain in Mexico policy, and tackling asylum fraud. He also plans to enlist the National Guard and local law enforcement in cooperative states to aid in swiftly removing illegal gang members and criminals, while promoting a merit-based immigration system that safeguards American jobs and values.

• War on the Drug Cartels

President Donald J. Trump utilized the full capacity of the government to combat the influx of dangerous drugs, opioids, and fentanyl into the United States, resulting in the first national decline in drug overdose deaths in nearly three decades. The current Harris-Biden Administration has seemingly allowed drug cartels to operate freely, harming countless lives and devastating communities. Trump plans to dismantle these cartels similarly to how he addressed ISIS, implementing a total naval blockade on their operations, directing the Department of Defense to target cartel leadership, classifying them as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, and restricting their access to financial resources. He intends to collaborate with neighboring governments to dismantle cartel activities, revealing any corruption that enables their operations. Additionally, he will advocate for legislation that permits the Death Penalty for drug smugglers and traffickers, ensuring that drug kingpins and traffickers will face severe consequences when he returns to office.

• Stop Crime and Restore Safety

Restoring law and order alongside public safety is a top priority for President Trump. He supports law enforcement professionals and condemns the actions of the Harris-Biden Administration and radical left politicians who have defunded and vilified police departments nationwide. As a result, crime rates have surged in Democrat-run cities, and radical prosecutors have facilitated a rise in violent crime, leaving streets dominated by gangs and overwhelmed with issues related to homelessness and substance abuse. Trump proposes to revitalize police departments and restore safety and peace for law-abiding citizens by increasing funding to hire and retrain officers, enhancing protections like qualified immunity, and imposing stricter penalties for assaults on law enforcement. His plan includes incarcerating violent offenders and career criminals while deploying federal prosecutors and the National Guard to high-crime areas.

• Renew American Strength and Leadership

President Donald J. Trump shifted away from ineffective policies of perpetual conflict, regime change, and nation-building to a proactive approach that emphasizes peace through strength. He revitalized the U.S. military, modernized the nuclear arsenal, and established the Space Force. Trump eradicated the entirety of the ISIS caliphate, eliminated its founder and leader Abu-Bakar Al Baghdadi, and took down the world’s leading terrorist, Qasem Soleimani. He successfully prevented America from engaging in new conflicts and repatriated thousands of service members from countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia. In contrast, the Harris-Biden Administration has compromised military readiness and surrendered American strength to the Taliban. Trump’s commitment includes safeguarding the nation from all threats and dangers while avoiding unnecessary foreign wars. He also aims to remove radical left ideologies from the military and reinstate patriots who were wrongly dismissed. To address the threats posed by nuclear weapons and hypersonic missiles, Trump plans to develop a cutting-edge next-generation missile defense system.

• Reject Globalism and Embrace Patriotism

President Donald J. Trump promoted international collaboration among strong, sovereign nations to foster a future characterized by peace and prosperity. He took decisive actions against Radical Islamic terrorism, withdrew from the problematic Iran Nuclear Deal, and halted travel and refugee resettlement from some of the most perilous regions globally. Trump acknowledged Jerusalem as Israel's capital by relocating the American embassy and recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. His assertive diplomacy resulted in four Middle East peace agreements known as the Abraham Accords and prompted NATO allies to increase defense spending by $400 billion. The Harris-Biden Administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan has emboldened hostile regimes and terrorist organizations such as China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran, which had previously been on the defensive. Under Trump's leadership, the goal is to restore American leadership and influence on the global stage.

• Care For Our Veterans

While politicians in Washington invested valuable resources in misguided military engagements overseas, American veterans often suffered delays in receiving medical care at home. President Donald J. Trump enacted the largest reforms in the Department of Veterans Affairs in a generation, introducing measures such as VA Accountability and VA Choice, and dismissing 11,500 federal employees who failed to serve veterans adequately. He secured significant funding for mental health services and broadened access to telehealth and suicide prevention programs. Trump's initiatives also aimed to reduce veteran homelessness, enhance educational benefits, and achieve record-low unemployment rates among veterans. The commitment remains to provide veterans with better care and benefits than ever before.

• Protect Parents’ Rights

President Donald J. Trump championed the expansion of charter schools and school choice to benefit children across America. He ensured ongoing funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and fought for free speech on college campuses. The current Harris-Biden Administration and radical left groups are accused of exploiting the public school system to propagate inappropriate sexual, racial, and political agendas among youth. Trump aims to withhold federal funding from any educational institution or program promoting Critical Race Theory or gender ideology and will initiate civil rights investigations into districts accused of race-based discrimination. He intends to veto attempts to politicize civics education, maintain fairness in sports, and establish a certification process for teachers who support patriotic values. Furthermore, Trump supports rewarding states and districts that eliminate teacher tenure in K-12 schools, embrace merit pay, reduce the number of school administrators, enact a Parental Bill of Rights, and allow parents to directly elect school principals.

• Defend Law and Liberty

President Donald J. Trump appointed nearly 300 federal judges dedicated to interpreting the Constitution as originally intended, thereby preserving the exceptional vision of the nation’s founders. He successfully confirmed three strong Constitutionalists to the Supreme Court, ensuring equitable enforcement of laws without political bias for all citizens. Trump's judicial appointees achieved a significant victory for the pro-life movement by overturning Roe v. Wade and expanded Second Amendment rights. He is committed to nominating highly qualified judges and justices who prioritize enforcing the law over political agendas while defending Second Amendment rights and religious liberties, including the Constitutionally protected right to pray in public schools.

• End Censorship and Reclaim Free Speech

President Trump is deeply dedicated to dismantling the left-wing censorship apparatus. He believes that without free speech, America ceases to be a free nation. His plan includes dismissing any federal officials who engage in the censorship of lawful speech, prohibiting taxpayer funding from being used to categorize legal speech for censorship purposes, and banning federal agencies from censoring speech. Additionally, he seeks to stop funding for non-profit organizations and academic programs involved in censorship, introduce a digital bill of rights, and implement substantial legislation to limit the ability of major social media platforms to restrict free expression. Restoring free speech is viewed as essential to reclaiming democracy.

• Free, Honest and Lawful Elections

President Donald J. Trump prioritizes the integrity of elections and the principle of a trustworthy Republic. He advocates for reforms to election laws to ensure the identity and eligibility of all voters, fostering confidence in future elections. Proposed reforms include banning insecure drop boxes and ballot harvesting, ensuring that state and local officials cannot make illegal changes to election processes without necessary legislative approval. It is imperative to prohibit private funding from infiltrating local election offices to safeguard electoral integrity.

• Drain the Swamp of Washington Corruption

President Donald J. Trump is dedicated to dismantling the deep state and re-establishing a government accountable to the people, as he pursued during his presidency. He plans to undertake a comprehensive reform of federal bureaucracies to eliminate corruption and inefficiency in Washington, D.C. Trump advocates for a constitutional amendment to introduce term limits for Congress members, enforce a permanent ban on taxpayer-funded campaigns, impose a lifetime lobbying prohibition for former members of Congress and cabinet officials, and prevent Congress members from trading stocks based on insider information.

• Better Health Care Choices at Lower Costs

President Donald J. Trump aims to empower American patients by significantly enhancing healthcare options, transparency, and affordability. He promoted competition in the health insurance industry, repealed the Obamacare individual mandate, and enacted the Right to Try legislation, granting terminally ill patients access to potentially life-saving treatments. For the first time in over five decades, Trump successfully lowered drug prices and implemented the Most Favored Nation Rule to ensure that U.S. pharmaceutical prices reflect discounts available in other countries. To combat the COVID-19 pandemic, he facilitated the production of a vast supply of ventilators and spearheaded the development of treatments and vaccines. Trump intends to abolish all COVID-related mandates, restore medical freedom, eliminate surprise medical billing, promote price transparency for fairness, and further decrease prescription drug costs and health insurance premiums. He also pledges to protect Medicare, Social Security, and the interests of patients with pre-existing conditions.

Harris campaign

Harris has framed her campaign as "a choice between freedom and chaos" and based it around the ideals of "freedom" and "the future". The Harris campaign has sought to highlight her experience as an attorney general and a prosecutor to "prosecute the case" against Trump by pointing out his 34 felony convictions and the impacts of the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Harris is running as a moderate Democrat who has moved towards the center on several policy positions since her 2019 primary run, embracing many of Biden's domestic policy stances. Harris has focused her economic proposals on the cost of groceries, housing and healthcare. She has also focused on the middle class, and small businesses. Harris' campaign has been noted for having an optimistic and joyful tone.

• Abortion

Main article: Abortion in the United States

Abortion-rights protestors in Washington, D.C., on May 14, 2022, as part of the Bans Off Our Bodies protest following the leaked draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade

Abortion access is a key topic during the campaign. This is the first presidential election to be held in the aftermath of the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision, in which the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, leaving abortion law entirely to the states, including bans on abortion.

The three justices appointed by former president Trump—Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh, and Neil Gorsuch—all voted to overturn the federal right to an abortion in Dobbs. By April 2023, most Republican-controlled states had passed near-total bans on abortion, rendering it largely illegal throughout much of the southern United States. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, there are 15 states that have de jure early-stage bans on abortion without exceptions for rape or incest.

Abortion will be on the ballot in up to ten states in 2024, including the swing states of Arizona and Nevada. Some pundits have argued abortion rights referenda could help Harris in November.

Trump speaking at the 2020 March for Life in Washington, D.C.

Democrats predominantly advocate for abortion access as a right, Since becoming the presumptive nominee, Harris has indicated her support for passing legislation which would restore the federal abortion right protections previously guaranteed by Roe. She argued Trump would let his anti-abortion allies implement Project 2025 proposals to restrict abortion and contraception throughout the US.

Attorney General of California Kamala Harris at the border in 2011 to discuss strategies to combat transnational gang crime

• Border security and immigration

Main articles: Mexico–United States border crisis and Border security in the United States

Further information: Kamala Harris 2024 presidential campaign § Immigration, and Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign § Immigration

During Kamala's term as Vice-President, President Biden appointed her to take the lead in border security and immigration, as it is a top issue for voters in the election. Polling has shown that most Americans want to reduce immigration. In 2023 and early 2024, a surge of migrants entering through the border with Mexico occurred.

Harris promised to fight for "strong border security" coupled with an earned pathway to citizenship. She highlighted her work in combating transnational gangs, drug cartels, and human traffickers while attorney general. In 2023, she announced pledges of US$950 million from private companies into Central American communities to address the causes of mass migration, such as poverty. She supported increasing the number of Border Patrol agents.

On July 25, 2024, House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark E. Green, MD (R-TN), along with Homeland Republicans and other Conference members, criticized Vice President Kamala Harris for not securing the borders. Subsequently, the House of Representatives passed H.Res. 1371 with bipartisan support, condemning the Biden administration's and Harris's handling of the border crisis. Quoting from the Harris Border Czar Fact Sheet by Chairman Green: "It would be charitable to say that Harris has failed to secure our border. More accurately, she’s an open-borders radical with a long track record of opposing border security and immigration enforcement—both in her previous roles, and as Biden’s top official on the border crisis.

• Climate change

Main article: Climate change in the United States

Further information: Kamala Harris 2024 presidential campaign § Climate change and energy; and Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign § Energy, environment, and climate change

See also: Environmental policy of the Donald Trump administration, Climate change denial, and Inflation Reduction Act

Climate change and energy policy have played a role in the 2024 presidential campaign. In 2023, the United States saw a record in crude oil production with over 13.2 million barrels of crude per day beating the 13 million barrels per day produced at the peak of Trump's presidency. America also dealt with supply shocks caused by the 2021–2024 global energy crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Harris is an advocate for environmental justice to address the impact of climate change on lower-income areas and people of color. Under Biden, she supported his climate legislation. Harris helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest investment in addressing climate change and clean energy in US history putting the US on track to meet emissions reduction targets by 50–52% below 2005 levels by 2030. Harris's campaign has stated that she does not support a ban on fracking.

• Democracy

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A general election ballot from Fairfax County, Virginia, listing the presidential and vice presidential candidates

• Economic issues

Main article: Economy of the United States

Further information: Kamala Harris 2024 presidential campaign § Economy, Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign § Economy and trade, and U.S. federal government response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Post-COVID inflation spike in the US, with the gray column indicating the COVID-19 recession in US

Voters consistently cited the economy as their top issue in the 2024 election. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, a global surge in inflation ensued that raised prices on many goods, though the U.S. inflation rate had declined significantly during 2023 and 2024.

Harris is running on a pro-union platform. She has promoted the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, funding for small business, and previously supported an act as senator to provide a $6,000 tax credit for middle and low-income families. Harris has promised to address price gouging, bring down costs, ban hidden fees and late charges from financial institutions, limit "unfair" rent increases and cap prescription drug costs which she has said would "lower costs and save many middle-class families thousands of dollars a year".

The New York Times described Harris' economic policy as embracing "the idea that the federal government must act aggressively to foster competition and correct distortions in private markets." Harris has proposed raising taxes on corporations and high-earners to fund services for the lower and middle classes and reduce the deficit. Harris has stated she supports increasing the top tier capital gains tax rate to 28%, up from 20% and lower than Biden's proposed 39.6%. Harris has stated her support for a Billionaire Minimum Income Tax, increasing the tax on stock buybacks to 4%, and a ten-fold tax reduction for small business ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 in relief. Harris also supports efforts to create a tax on unrealized gains for those with more than a $100 million in net worth if they do not pay a minimum 25% tax rate on their income inclusive of unrealized gains so long as 80% of said wealth is in tradeable assets. The plan would impact a small percentage of America's wealthy, and Axios reported most tech founders and investors would be spared. Harris has also announced support for restoring the corporate tax rate to 28% among several other tax proposals to raise taxes and close loopholes for corporations and the wealthy that would bring in $5 trillion in additional revenue over 10 years. Harris has also proposed tax breaks to companies delivering economic benefit, such as manufacturing technologies to fight global warming and building affordable housing. Harris has proposed a ban on corporate price gouging to "help the food industry become more competitive." Harris has also expressed support for student debt relief, and Harris says she supports raising the minimum wage.

Harris says she will increase home construction to reduce housing costs, arguing that it negatively impacts the economy and hurts working-class families. Harris has proposed directing $40 billion to construction companies to build starter homes. Harris has promised to send $25,000 in down-payment assistance to every first time home buyer. Harris says she will urge Congress to enforce fair housing laws and pass a bill to bar property owners from using services that "coordinate" rents through the passage of the Preventing the Algorithmic Facilitation of Rental Housing Cartels Act, and also call on Congress to pass the Stop Predatory Investing Act by removing tax benefits to Wall Street firms that buy up large numbers of single-family homes.

• Education

Main article: Education in the United States

At the American Federation of Teachers national convention, Harris attacked recent efforts to ban books in school libraries. She has also previously called for raising teachers' wages.

• Healthcare issues

Further information: Kamala Harris 2024 presidential campaign § Healthcare

Healthcare and drug policy have been discussed during the 2024 presidential election, such as around the future of the Affordable Care Act.

Harris has supported efforts to strengthen coverage under the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare), including setting caps on seniors' out-of-pocket prescription drug prices at $2,000 and limiting the cost of insulin for those on Medicare to $35 enacted as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. Harris has been a proponent of White House efforts to ban medical debt from credit reports. Harris has stated she no longer supports a single-payer healthcare system. Harris has supported the expanded child tax credit enacted in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 that reduced child poverty by 20%. Harris has expressed support for making child care and elder care more affordable and enacting paid family leave. On August 16, 2024, Harris announced the proposal of a $6,000 child tax credit, expanding her populist economic agenda. Other policies including broadening a cap on prescription drug costs and permanently reinstating the expanded child tax credit.

• Foreign policy

Main article: Foreign policy of the United States

Joe Biden signing Executive Order 14065 in February 2022 in response to Russia's imminent invasion of Ukraine. The United States has given billions worth of military aid to Ukraine following the Russian invasion of the country in 2022.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Israel–Hamas war and Chinese goals of expansion have been some of the major foreign policy issues of the election. Harris has signaled to generally follow Biden's foreign policy on NATO and Ukraine, supporting both in the aftermath of the Russian invasion. A supporter of the two-state solution, Harris is seen as more sympathetic to Palestinians than Biden, who has described himself as a Zionist and has a long history with Israeli leaders. Regarding the Israel–Hamas war, analysts expect Harris to continue Biden's approach. Following Hamas's attack on Israel in 2023, Harris strongly supported Israel's offensive, stating that "the threat Hamas poses to the people of Israel must be eliminated". However, she has since criticized Israel's approach and the Gaza humanitarian crisis. In March 2024, Harris opposed Israel's invasion of Rafah, called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and stated that the situation in Gaza is a "humanitarian catastrophe". Harris has advocated for "de-risking" from China, a policy that encourages reducing Western economic dependence on China. Harris is expected to continue deepening American alliances in Asia and the Pacific with the intention of curbing China's rising power both economically and militarily.

• Israel–Hamas war views

Demonstrators at the March on Washington for Gaza on January 14, 2024

Further information: Israel–Hamas war protests in the United States and Israel–Hamas war protest vote movements

Polling has indicated that the majority of voters support a ceasefire and American mediation in the Israel-Hamas war. According to a YouGov poll in March 2024, 52% of Americans supported stopping weapons shipments to Israel, coming largely from Americans who voted for Biden in 2020 (62% support) and people who did not vote in 2020 (60%). Republicans opposed halting weapons shipments by 25 points. Republicans generally support arms to Israel, while Democrats are divided on the issue.

Harris support continued aid to Israel in the war against Hamas, but insists that Israel should agree to a ceasefire and hostage deal and work towards a two-state solution. In the Democratic primaries, the Uncommitted National Movement led a protest campaign against Biden over the war, calling for a ceasefire and arms embargo on Israel. It received over 700,000 votes and 36 delegates. Harris has been seen as more sympathetic to Palestinians during the war, and her and her campaign have interacted with Arab-American and Uncommitted leaders on multiple occasions. However, Harris has refused to halt any weapons shipments to Israel or shift policy from Biden, saying Israel has a right to defend itself. By October, Uncommitted encouraged its members to vote for Harris.

• Parental rights and youth transgender issues

Main articles: LGBTQ rights in the United States and Transgender rights in the United States

Further information: Kamala Harris 2024 presidential campaign § LGBTQ rights

Harris is a strong supporter of LGBTQ people's rights. She has denounced legislative attacks on transgender rights in states across the country.

Democratic Party

Main articles: 2024 Democratic Party presidential primaries and 2024 Democratic Party presidential candidates

On April 25, 2023, President Biden officially announced his bid for re-election, confirming that Vice President Harris would remain his running mate. Following this announcement, Republicans increased their focus on Harris, intensifying criticism against her. During late 2021, amid Biden's declining approval ratings, speculation arose regarding whether he would seek re-election. Public figures, including former Representatives Carolyn Maloney, Tim Ryan and Joe Cunningham, urged Biden not to run.

Concerns about Biden's age were prominent, given that he was the oldest person to assume the office at age 78, which would make him 82 at the end of his first term and 86 at the end of a potential second term. An April 2023 poll indicated that 70 percent of Americans, including 51 percent of Democrats, believed Biden should not seek a second term, with nearly half citing his age as the reason. Biden's approval rating stood at 41 percent, with 55 percent disapproving, according to the FiveThirtyEight national polling average. Speculation also arose that Biden might face a primary challenge from the Democratic Party's progressive faction. However, after Democrats outperformed expectations in the 2022 midterm elections, many believed Biden's chances of securing the party's nomination had increased.

Author Marianne Williamson was the first to challenge Biden by announcing her candidacy in February 2023. In April 2023, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also entered the race but later shifted his campaign to an independent run on October 9, 2023. Representative Dean Phillips joined the race on October 26, 2023; he withdrew in March 2024 and endorsed Biden. Williamson initially withdrew from the race in February 2024 but later resumed her campaign, only to end it again on June 11, 2024.

Jason Palmer, who surprised many by winning the American Samoa caucuses, became the first candidate to win a contested primary against an incumbent president since Ted Kennedy in 1980. However, he suspended his campaign on May 15, 2024. On March 12, 2024, Biden secured a majority of delegates, becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee.

Biden addressing the nation from the Oval Office on his decision to withdraw from the race, July 24, 2024

Despite securing the nomination, Biden faced significant opposition from "uncommitted" voters and the Uncommitted National Movement, who collectively garnered more votes than several major contenders in the 2020 Democratic primaries and won 36 delegates. Following a widely panned debate performance against Trump on June 27, 2024, Biden withdrew from the race on July 21, endorsing Harris as his successor. Harris quickly announced her campaign and secured enough delegate endorsements by July 22, becoming the presumptive nominee.

Biden's withdrawal made him the first eligible incumbent president since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968 not to seek re-election, and the first to withdraw after securing enough delegates to win the nomination. Harris is the first nominee who did not participate in the primaries since Vice President Hubert Humphrey, also in 1968.

Following Biden's withdrawal, Tim Walz, Josh Shapiro, Mark Kelly, and Andy Beshear emerged as lead candidates in the veepstakes. Shapiro received pushback from pro-Palestine activists for comments on college protesters and for claiming to volunteer for the IDF, while Kelly was criticized by labor groups.

The Democratic Party conducted a virtual roll call vote on August 2, where Harris secured the majority of delegate votes and became the official nominee on August 5. She selected Walz as her running mate the following day. Harris would have made history as the first female and first Asian American president of the United States. Walz would have been the first vice president to have served in the war on terror.

Democratic nominees

Main article: Kamala Harris 2024 presidential campaign

2024 Democratic Party ticket
Kamala Harris	Tim Walz
for President	for Vice President
49th Vice President of the United States (2021–present)	41st Governor of Minnesota (2019–present)
Campaign

Republican Party

Main articles: 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries and 2024 Republican Party presidential candidates

Results of the 2024 Republican presidential primaries

  Nikki Haley

  Donald Trump

Trump, the then-incumbent president, was defeated by Biden in the 2020 election and is not term-limited to run again in 2024, making him the fifth ex-president to seek a second non-consecutive term. Trump filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) on November 15, 2022, and announced his candidacy in a speech at Mar-a-Lago the same day. Trump was considered an early frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination. Trump had announced in March 2022 that his former vice president Mike Pence would not be his running mate. In civil proceedings, Trump has been found liable for sexual abuse and defamation in 2023, defamation and financial fraud in 2024, becoming the first former president to be convicted of a crime.

In March 2023, Trump was indicted over his hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Trump was again indicted in June over his handling of classified documents that contained materials sensitive to national security. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all the charges related to these indictments.

Trump faced opposition in the primaries, with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis seen as the main challenger to Trump for the Republican nomination; he had raised more campaign funds in the first half of 2022 and had more favorable polling numbers than Trump by the end of 2022. On May 24, 2023, DeSantis announced his candidacy on Twitter in an online conversation with Twitter CEO Elon Musk. "American decline is not inevitable—it is a choice...I am running for president of the United States to lead our great American comeback," DeSantis said. His campaign stated to have raised $1 million in the first hour following the announcement of his candidacy. At the end of July 2023, FiveThirtyEight's national polling average of the Republican primaries had Trump at 52 percent, and DeSantis at 15.

Following the Iowa caucuses, in which Trump posted a landslide victory, DeSantis and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy dropped out of the race and endorsed Trump, leaving the former president and Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor who served in Trump's cabinet, as the only remaining major candidates. Trump continued to win all four early voting contests while Haley's campaign struggled to gain momentum. On March 6, 2024, the day after winning only one primary out of fifteen on Super Tuesday, Haley suspended her campaign.

On March 12, 2024, Trump officially became the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

Trump was injured in an assassination attempt on July 13, 2024, when a bullet grazed his ear. This was the first time a president or major party presidential candidate was injured in an assassination attempt since Ronald Reagan in 1981. Trump faced another assassination attempt on September 15, 2024, though he was not injured.

On July 15, 2024, the first day of the Republican National Convention, Trump officially announced that Senator JD Vance of Ohio would be his running mate. When he was elected, he became the first marine and first Iraq War veteran to serve as vice president.

On July 18, 2024, Trump accepted the nomination from the Republican National Convention to become the Republican presidential nominee. This was the third consecutive election in which he was the Republican nominee.

On November 5, 2024, Trump became the second president ever to win a non-consecutive term, after Grover Cleveland in 1892.

Republican nominees

Main article: Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign

2024 Republican Party ticket
Donald Trump	JD Vance
for President	for Vice President
45th President of the United States (2017–2021)	U.S. Senator from Ohio (2023–present)
Campaign

Third-party and independent candidates

Main article: 2024 U.S. presidential election third-party and independent candidates

A number of independent candidates have announced presidential runs, most notably Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cornel West. Several third parties, including the Libertarian Party, the Green Party, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, the Constitution Party, and the American Solidarity Party have also announced presidential nominees.

Kennedy dropped out of the race in August 2024, though he remained on the ballot in many states. The No Labels organization abandoned its efforts to run a centrist candidate in April 2024.

Timeline

Main article: Timeline of the 2024 United States presidential election

Opinion polling and forecasts

Opinion polling aggregation

Main article: Nationwide opinion polling for the 2024 United States presidential election

See also: Statewide opinion polling for the 2024 United States presidential election

Electoral College forecasts

Elections analysts and political pundits issue probabilistic forecasts of the composition of the Electoral College. These forecasts use a variety of factors to estimate the likelihood of each candidate winning the Electoral College electors for that state. Most election predictors use the following ratings:

• "tossup": no advantage
• "tilt" (used by some predictors): advantage that is not quite as strong as "lean"
• "lean" or "leans": slight advantage
• "likely": significant, but surmountable, advantage
• "very likely" (used by some predictors): massive advantage that is stronger than "likely"
• "safe" or "solid": near-certain chance of victory

Below is a list of states considered by one or more forecast to be competitive; states that are deemed to be "safe" or "solid" by forecasters The Cook Political Report, Sabato's Crystal Ball, Inside Elections, CNalysis, Decision Desk HQ, and YouGov are omitted for brevity.

State	EVs	PVI	2020 result	2020 margin	IE Nov 3	Cook Nov 4	CNalysis Nov 4	Sabato Nov 4	CNN Oct 8	DDHQ Nov 5	538 Nov 5	Economist Nov 5	YouGov Nov 1
Colorado	10	D+4	55.4% D	13.50%	Solid D	Solid D	Solid D	Safe D	Lean D	Likely D	Solid D	Safe D	Safe D
New Mexico	5	D+3	54.3% D	10.79%	Solid D	Likely D	Very Likely D	Likely D	Lean D	Likely D	Likely D	Likely D	Safe D
Virginia	13	D+3	54.1% D	10.11%	Likely D	Likely D	Solid D	Likely D	Lean D	Likely D	Likely D	Likely D	Safe D
Maine	2	D+2	53.1% D	9.07%	Likely D	Likely D	Solid D	Likely D	Solid D	Safe D	Likely D	Likely D	Safe D
New Hampshire	4	D+1	52.7% D	7.35%	Lean D	Likely D	Solid D	Likely D	Lean D	Likely D	Likely D	Likely D	Safe D
Minnesota	10	D+1	52.4% D	7.11%	Lean D	Likely D	Solid D	Likely D	Lean D	Lean D	Likely D	Likely D	Likely D
NE–02	1	EVEN	52.0% D	6.50%	Lean D	Likely D	Solid D	Likely D	Lean D	Likely D	Likely D	Likely D	Tossup
Michigan	15	R+1	50.6% D	2.78%	Tossup	Tossup	Likely D	Lean D	Tossup	Tossup	Lean D	Lean D	Lean D
Nevada	6	R+1	50.1% D	2.39%	Tossup	Tossup	Tilt D	Lean D	Tossup	Tossup	Tossup	Tossup	Tossup
Pennsylvania	19	R+2	50.0% D	1.16%	Tossup	Tossup	Lean D	Lean D	Tossup	Tossup	Tossup	Tossup	Tossup
Wisconsin	10	R+2	49.5% D	0.63%	Tossup	Tossup	Lean D	Lean D	Tossup	Tossup	Tossup	Tossup	Tossup
Arizona	11	R+2	49.4% D	0.31%	Tossup	Tossup	Tilt R (flip)	Lean R (flip)	Tossup	Tossup	Lean R (flip)	Lean R (flip)	Tossup
Georgia	16	R+3	49.5% D	0.24%	Tossup	Tossup	Likely D	Lean R (flip)	Tossup	Tossup	Tossup	Tossup	Tossup
North Carolina	16	R+3	49.9% R	1.35%	Tossup	Tossup	Tilt D (flip)	Lean R	Tossup	Tossup	Tossup	Tossup	Tossup
Florida	30	R+3	51.2% R	3.36%	Lean R	Likely R	Likely R	Likely R	Lean R	Likely R	Likely R	Likely R	Lean R
Texas	40	R+5	52.1% R	5.58%	Likely R	Likely R	Lean R	Likely R	Solid R	Likely R	Likely R	Likely R	Lean R
ME–02	1	R+6	52.3% R	7.44%	Lean R	Likely R	Very Likely R	Likely R	Lean R	Likely R	Likely R	Likely R	Tossup
Ohio	17	R+6	53.3% R	8.03%	Likely R	Solid R	Likely R	Safe R	Solid R	Likely R	Likely R	Safe R	Safe R
Iowa	6	R+6	53.1% R	8.20%	Tilt R	Likely R	Tilt R	Likely R	Solid R	Likely R	Likely R	Likely R	Safe R
Alaska	3	R+8	52.8% R	10.06%	Solid R	Solid R	Very Likely R	Safe R	Solid R	Solid R	Likely R	Safe R	Safe R
NE–01	1	R+9	54.3% R	11.00%	Solid R	Solid R	Solid R	Likely R	Solid R	Solid R	Solid R	Safe R	Safe R
Kansas	6	R+10	56.14% R	14.63%	Solid R	Solid R	Very Likely R	Safe R	Solid R	Solid R	Solid R	Safe R	Safe R
Overall					D – 226 R – 219 93 tossups	D – 226 R – 219 93 tossups	D – 308 R – 230 0 tossups	D – 276 R – 262 0 tossups	D – 226 R – 219 93 tossups	D – 226 R – 219 93 tossups	D – 241 R – 230 67 tossups	D – 241 R – 230 67 tossups	D – 240 R – 218 80 tossups

Debates

Main article: 2024 United States presidential debates

In April 2022, the Republican National Committee voted unanimously to withdraw from the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD). In May 2024, the Biden campaign proposed hosting two debates outside of the CPD timetable and refusing to participate in CPD-hosted debates. Biden and Trump agreed to debates on CNN on June 27 and ABC News on September 10. The Harris camp suggested that another debate could be held in October after the September 10 debate with Trump. On September 12, Trump announced that there would be no third presidential debate.

June 27 presidential debate: Biden vs. Trump

Main article: Joe Biden–Donald Trump 2024 presidential debate

CNN hosted the first major debate of the election on June 27 in Atlanta, with 51 million viewers watching. Media outlets characterized Biden's debate performance as a "disaster". Some pundits noted that he frequently lost his train of thought and gave meandering, confused answers.

G. Elliott Morris and Kaleigh Rogers of ABC News' 538 argued that Biden had failed to reassure voters that he was capable of serving as president for another four years. After the debate, elected officials, party strategists, and fundraisers conversed about replacing Biden as the party's candidate, including whether prominent Democrats should make a public statement asking him to step aside. In response, Biden initially stated that he would not be dropping out, and prominent Democratic politicians, including Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, reiterated their support for Biden following the debate. The debate performance led to Biden ultimately withdrawing his bid for re-election on July 21.

September 10 presidential debate: Harris vs. Trump

Further information: 2024 United States presidential debates § September 10: Second presidential debate (ABC, Philadelphia)

The second presidential debate was held on Tuesday, September 10 by ABC News with 67.1 million viewers watching. Trump had proposed a debate on Fox News instead of the ABC debate, but later accepted the debate on ABC. The debate was held at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and lasted for about 100 minutes. ABC's debate topics included abortion, the economy, foreign policy, and immigration. Most news organizations declared Harris the winner of the debate.

October 1 vice presidential debate: Vance vs. Walz

Further information: 2024 United States presidential debates § October 1: Vice presidential debate (CBS, New York City)

Vice presidential candidates JD Vance and Tim Walz participated in a debate hosted by CBS News on October 1 at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City. Topics discussed during the debate included immigration, abortion, and the economy. Fact checking was primarily done online only, with Vance making more false and misleading claims than Walz.

Forty-three million viewers watched the debate. Many debate watchers viewed the debate as "positive" and "civil". According to polling, both candidates polled about even among viewers who were asked who won the debate, while Vance was considered the winner by a majority of columnists. The Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, while Walz was declared the winner by a columnist from MSNBC.}}

Minor debates and forums

Main article: Third-party and independent candidates for the 2024 United States presidential election § Debates and forums

Various debates and forums have been held, sponsored by the Free & Equal Elections Foundation.

Aftermath

Election night

A Voice of America report on Trump's victory.

Fox News was the first media outlet to project Trump the winner. In a convention center in West Palm Beach, Florida, he was greeted with cheers by supporters, chanting, "USA! USA! USA!" when Fox News declared him the winner. Trump claimed victory in a speech to his supporters, where he was joined on stage by his family and his running mate, JD Vance, saying; "America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate." Harris did not speak to her supporters, who had gathered at Howard University, her alma mater. Her campaign co-chair, Cedric Richmond, briefly addressed the crowd, saying Harris would speak publicly on Wednesday. A few hours later, major media outlets projected Trump as the 47th president of the United States, with Associated Press describing it as an "extraordinary comeback for a former president".

International reactions

The first politicians from abroad to congratulate Donald Trump when Fox News projected Trump to win were President of El Salvador Nayib Bukele, Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán, and Dutch politician and leader of the biggest party in Netherlands, PVV, Geert Wilders.

Shortly after the election, congratulatory messages were sent to Trump from all over the world, including President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, President of France Emmanuel Macron, President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Keir Starmer, Secretary General of NATO Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez, President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim, President of the Phillipines Bongbong Marcos, former President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev, Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Dick Schoof, Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif, Chancellor of Austria Karl Nehammer, Prime Minister of Czech Republic Petr Fiala, Prime Minister of Romania Marcel Ciolacu, Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of Singapore Lawrence Wong,, President of Argentina Javier Milei, Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson, President of South Korea Yoon Suk-yeol, Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen, Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre, President of the European Council Charles Michel, and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

See also

• 2024 United States elections
  • 2024 United States gubernatorial elections
  • 2024 United States House of Representatives elections
  • 2024 United States Senate elections
• Timeline of the 2024 United States presidential election

External links

• "Misinformation Dashboard: Election 2024. A tool tracking the topics and tactics of 2024 election misinformation". News Literacy Project. 2024. Retrieved September 30, 2024.