Former President Trump is making strategic last-minute stops in blue-leaning states ahead of Election Day. Despite the limited time, he is visiting New Mexico and Virginia, both states that have historically leaned blue. The former president and his team see opportunities in these states to reach Americans who have been left behind by the Democrats. Trump aims to bring his America First message directly to the residents of these states, emphasizing his vision for hardworking families.
In New Mexico, where Trump hasn’t visited in five years, polls show Vice President Kamala Harris with a lead over the former president. However, one survey indicates a tighter contest for the state’s five electoral votes. The Democratic Party of New Mexico expressed confidence that New Mexicans will reject Trump’s “MAGA extremism” and divisive rhetoric once again.
In Virginia, Trump held a large rally in June and will be returning for another rally in Salem. Polls in the state show the Democratic presidential nominee holding a lead over Trump, but the former president and his supporters believe they have a good chance to win the state for the first time in decades. Trump criticized a federal judge’s ruling that Virginia must restore more than 1,500 people to the state’s voter rolls, falsely claiming that Harris was behind the decision. The state filed an emergency stay application to the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the ruling, which Trump called “election interference.”
Political scientist David Richards suggests that Trump’s rally in Virginia may be aimed at capitalizing on the judicial decision regarding voter rolls. By highlighting the issue of illegal immigrants potentially voting in the election, Trump seeks to reach a national audience, not just a Virginia audience, with his rally in central Virginia.
Overall, Trump’s strategic stops in New Mexico and Virginia reflect his efforts to expand his reach beyond traditional battleground states and appeal to voters in historically blue states. The former president’s campaign is making a final push to secure support in these crucial states before Election Day. Stay tuned for more updates and exclusive insights on the 2024 campaign trail at our Fox News Digital election hub.