{"id":2322256,"date":"2024-08-10T06:03:02","date_gmt":"2024-08-10T10:03:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/swing-state-scorecard-walz-addition-shifts-rankings-of-harriss-hardest-battlegrounds-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-10T06:08:18","modified_gmt":"2024-08-10T10:08:18","slug":"swing-state-scorecard-walz-addition-shifts-rankings-of-harriss-hardest-battlegrounds-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/swing-state-scorecard-walz-addition-shifts-rankings-of-harriss-hardest-battlegrounds-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Swing-state scorecard: Walz addition shifts rankings of Harris\u2019s hardest battlegrounds &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fswing-state-scorecard-walz-addition-shifts-rankings-of-harriss-hardest-battlegrounds-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2322256&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Ter\/news\/2024-harris-trump-wisconsin-poll.php&#8221;\u2063 target=&#8221;_blank&#8221; rel=&#8221;noopener&#8221; \u200dtitle=&#8221;Marquette Poll&#8221;>Marquette \u200dUniversity poll<\/a>, which shows Harris and Trump in a dead heat. Wisconsin, \u2064a crucial\u200b swing state with 10 electoral votes, has been\u200c traditionally a stronghold for Democrats but\u200d is now viewed as increasingly \u200bcompetitive.<\/p>\n<p>The state&#8217;s demographics have shifted over the years, with \u200csuburban voters becoming more influential. Harris&#8217;s campaign has emphasized her commitment to addressing\u200d issues important to these voters, such\u200d as healthcare and education. Additionally, the recent influx of campaign spending in Wisconsin underscores\u200b its \u200cstrategic value for both \u200cparties.<\/p>\n<p>Trump&#8217;s campaign has also intensified its efforts in the state, with multiple rallies and targeted ads aimed at rallying Republican voters. Despite the challenges, the Harris campaign remains optimistic, believing that her messaging and outreach efforts, particularly among women and \u2063younger voters, \u200cwill\u200d resonate enough to secure a \u2064victory.<\/p>\n<p>The stakes in Wisconsin, alongside the broader battleground states, underscore the intense competition leading up to the election. Both campaigns are gearing up for a\u2063 vigorous effort to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-republicans-will-hold-first-impeachment-hearing-next-week-report\/\" title=\"House Republicans to hold first impeachment hearing next week, according to report.\">sway undecided voters<\/a> and solidify their bases, knowing \u2062that every vote will count in \u2063what \u2062is predicted to be a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/three-potential-house-rematches-to-watch-in-california\/\" title=\"Three California House rematches to keep an eye on\">closely \u2062contested race<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Swing-state scorecard: Walz addition shifts rankings of Harris&rsquo;s hardest battlegrounds<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1726250\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The 2024 presidential race that appeared headed for a GOP victory has now transformed into a dead heat since Vice President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kamala-harris\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Kamala Harris\">Kamala Harris<\/a> replaced President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/joe-biden\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Kamala Harris\">Joe Biden<\/a> as the Democratic presidential nominee late last month.<\/p>\n<p>With the addition Tuesday of Gov. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tim-walz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Tim Walz<\/a> (D-MN) as Harris&rsquo;s running mate, the newly minted Democratic ticket is operating at full-steam ahead of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/democratic-national-convention\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Democratic National Convention<\/a> in Chicago, and polls and donors are shifting in its favor.<\/p>\n<p>In less than two weeks, Harris raised the record-breaking $310 million in July, while the announcement of Walz as her vice president netted the campaign another $36 million in 24 hours as the pair jetted off on a tour of the crucial battleground states. But the GOP pounced at any chance to lambaste the campaign.<\/p>\n<p>Former President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Donald Trump<\/a> and his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/joe-biden-knows-he-messed-up-on-fracking-at-debate-and-is-now-doing-damage-control-the-daily-wire\/\" title=\"Joe Biden Knows He Messed Up On Fracking At Debate And Is Now Doing Damage Control | The Daily Wire\">vice presidential candidate<\/a>, Sen. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jd-vance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>J.D. Vance<\/a> (R-OH), staged a two-pronged approach against Democrats.<\/p>\n<p>Vance also embarked on an unofficial tour of the battlegrounds, often appearing in the same states as Harris and Walz while attacking them for ducking press scrutiny. Meanwhile, Harris and Walz took repeated jabs at the GOP ticket during the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3113458\/five-takeaways-kamala-harris-tim-walz-ticket\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>kickoff tour<\/a> in Philadelphia on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>Trump announced a surprise press conference Thursday where he, too, blasted Harris for not taking press questions and challenged the vice president to three debates. Harris <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3115086\/trump-agrees-three-debates-harris\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>only agreed to one<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>After a contentious week of attacks and counterattacks, the&nbsp;<em>Washington Examiner<\/em>&nbsp;reranked the battleground states according to which would be the hardest for the vice president to win.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Vice President Kamala Harris, Democratic presidential nominee, and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), speak at a campaign rally in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024. (AP Photo\/Joe Lamberti)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. North Carolina <\/h2>\n<p>Popular Gov. Roy Cooper (D-NC) took himself out of the running to join Harris&rsquo;s ticket, citing fears that Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R-NC), known for making controversial statements, would attempt to serve as governor if Cooper were campaigning out of the state. <\/p>\n<p>Cooper will have his hands full trying to deliver the Tarheel State for Democrats, given that the last time it voted blue was during the 2008 election.<\/p>\n<p>The Trump campaign isn&rsquo;t taking the state for granted as it began ad spending last week, and Trump held his&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/live-blog-posts\/trump-unleashes-harris-adjusts-campaign-biden-withdrawal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">first campaign rally<\/a>&nbsp;in Charlotte, North Carolina, three days after Biden suspended his campaign. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Basically, she&rsquo;s a very bad person, and she shouldn&rsquo;t be running for president. She is a threat to democracy, a true threat to democracy. She&rsquo;ll destroy our nation,&rdquo; Trump told supporters.<\/p>\n<p>The Harris campaign later launched <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3110210\/harris-tries-to-leverage-momentum-with-gop-and-battleground-voter-outreach\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>a new initiative for Republicans<\/a> who are backing the vice president in several battleground states, including North Carolina.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Michigan<\/h2>\n<p>Last week, the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3108920\/swing-state-scorecard-kamala-harris-2024-battlegrounds\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>ranked Michigan<\/a> as the seventh-hardest battleground for Harris to win, citing a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/polls\/president\/general\/2024\/michigan\/trump-vs-harris\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>RealClearPolitics<\/em>&nbsp;poll average<\/a>&nbsp;that showed Harris leading Trump in the state by two percentage points and a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/features\/2024-07-30\/kamala-harris-erases-trump-s-swing-state-lead-in-2024-election-poll?embedded-checkout=true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bloomberg News\/Morning Consult survey<\/a>&nbsp;that showed Trump trailing Harris by 11 percentage points, 53% to 42%.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>But events this week have brought back to the forefront tensions in the Democratic Party over U.S. support for Israel as it battles Hamas. The party&rsquo;s progressive members have accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians living in Gaza.<\/p>\n<p>It all came to a head during a Harris rally in Detroit on Wednesday evening when pro-Palestinian activists interrupted the event. Harris attempted to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3116241\/gaza-protests-poised-dampen-killer-kamala-joy-all-the-way-to-dnc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"smooth out the disruption\">smooth out the disruption<\/a> by saying, &ldquo;I am speaking now.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>But after growing frustration, the vice president quipped: &ldquo;If you want Donald Trump to win, then say that. Otherwise, I&rsquo;m speaking.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>The crowd of supporters cheered her on as she gave a steely look.<\/p>\n<p>Detroit is home to a significant number of Arab-American and Muslim voters who could organize an anti-Harris campaign if the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3116241\/gaza-protests-poised-dampen-killer-kamala-joy-all-the-way-to-dnc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>tensions surrounding<\/a> the Middle East war continue.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Pennsylvania<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) speaks before Vice President Kamala Harris, Democratic presidential nominee, and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), during a campaign event in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024. (AP Photo\/Joe Lamberti)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) was the other top candidate on Harris&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-vp-hopeful-tim-scott-opens-up-about-whirlwind-engagement-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Trump VP hopeful Tim Scott opens up about whirlwind engagement - Washington Examiner\">running mate short list<\/a> aside from Walz, but questions about his ambition may have likely cost him the job.<\/p>\n<p>Nevertheless, Shapiro claimed he would campaign on behalf of the Democratic ticket to deliver Pennsylvania and its 19 electoral votes for Democrats. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I am going to continue to pour my heart and soul into serving you every single day as your governor,&rdquo; said Shapiro at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3111738\/harris-walz-rally-philadelphia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Philadelphia rally<\/a>. &ldquo;And I&rsquo;m going to be working my tail up to make sure we make Kamala Harris and Tim Walz the next leaders of the United States of America.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Harris&rsquo;s willingness to skip Shapiro also suggests her campaign&rsquo;s comfort that the state is winnable. A <a href=\"https:\/\/projects.fivethirtyeight.com\/polls\/president-general\/2024\/pennsylvania\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><em>FiveThirtyEight<\/em> poll average<\/a> has Harris leading Trump, 45.5% to 44.5%, in the Keystone State. But a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/polls\/president\/general\/2024\/pennsylvania\/trump-vs-harris\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><em>RealClearPolitics<\/em> average<\/a> shows Trump leading Harris, 48.4% to 46.6%. <\/p>\n<p>Pennsylvania has received the most political ad spending of all the battleground states since Biden suspended his campaign, according to AdImpact. Spending in support of Harris reached $18.6 million, while spending in support of Trump hit $19.9 million, totaling a combined share of $38.5 million in the state over the last few weeks.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Arizona <\/h2>\n<p>In choosing Walz to join the ticket, Harris also snubbed Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), although that could have more to do with Democrats not wanting to give up a coveted Senate seat as they fight to hold on to control of the Senate.<\/p>\n<p>The energy propelling Harris gave some hope to the party that the sunbelt battlegrounds were now in contention. And new polling suggests they may be correct. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cookpolitical.com\/analysis\/national\/national-politics\/presidential-campaign-reset-arizona-georgia-and-nevada-move?check_logged_in=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Cook Political Report<\/a> rated Arizona as one of the three states that had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3114929\/three-battleground-states-shift-harris-cook\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"changed the rating \">changed from<\/a> &ldquo;Lean Republican&rdquo; to a &ldquo;toss-up,&rdquo; a worrying sign for the Trump campaign.<\/p>\n<p>The Harris campaign previously touted the <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/kamala-harris-border-endorsements-arizona-efee13f3415d42d952363ad364258af7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>endorsement<\/a> of border town mayors in the state. Arizona Mesa Mayor John Giles is co-chairing a Republican task force for Harris along with former Republican state Rep. Robin Shaw. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3115800\/new-poll-arizona-voters-finds-harris-slight-edge-over-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"New polling\">New polling<\/a> released Thursday from the <a href=\"https:\/\/azhighground.com\/democrats-take-early-top-of-the-ticket-lead-following-arizonas-primary-election\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HighGround Public Affairs survey<\/a> found that Harris holds 44.4% support in Arizona, while Trump holds 41.6%, within the survey&rsquo;s margin of error of plus or minus 4.38%.<strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Harris and Walz are set to campaign in Arizona late Friday evening while Trump stumps in Montana with Republican Senate candidate Tim Sheehy, who is hoping to unseat Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT).<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Nevada <\/h2>\n<p>Harris leads Trump by two percentage points, 47% to 45%, in Nevada, according to the Bloomberg poll, while the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/polls\/president\/general\/2024\/nevada\/trump-vs-harris\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>RealClearPolitics<\/em>&nbsp;average<\/a>&nbsp;in Nevada shows Trump leading Harris by four percentage points.<\/p>\n<p>Yet, Nevada was also one of the states the Cook Political Report changed from a &ldquo;Lean Republican&rdquo; rating to a &ldquo;toss-up.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Seizing that momentum, Harris will make her seventh visit to the state Saturday. In a Friday memo, Dan Kanninen, the battleground states director for Harris, touted the 13 campaign offices and nearly 100 staff in the state, as well as the 600 volunteers who signed up after Biden&rsquo;s withdrawal.<\/p>\n<p>Nevada is the youngest and most diverse state out of all the battlegrounds, playing to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/carson-points-out-that-every-democratic-plan-has-backfired-in-trumps-favor-as-seen-in-the-bible-2\/\" title=\"Carson points out that every Democratic plan has backfired in Trump&#039;s favor, as seen in the Bible\">vice president&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s advantage as a biracial woman.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/joebiden.us13.list-manage.com\/track\/click?u=db6b693f24f8d92d026e0c2d2&amp;id=d21f666418&amp;e=2a192e88e7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">first large survey<\/a>&nbsp;of Latino voters with&nbsp;Harris&nbsp;as the presumptive nominee showed her strong support with Latino voters presents a &ldquo;key weakness&rdquo;&nbsp;for&nbsp;Donald Trump,&rdquo; wrote Kanninen. &ldquo;Harris&nbsp;leads Trump with Latinos by 55-37 in the battleground states and is viewed favorably by Latinos in&nbsp;Nevada&nbsp;by 44 points (69-25), the highest of any battleground state.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. Georgia <\/h2>\n<p>Georgia is the third state the Cook Political Report changed from a &ldquo;Lean Republican&rdquo; rating to a &ldquo;toss-up.&rdquo; This follows the University of Virginia&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/centerforpolitics.org\/crystalball\/electoral-college-rating-changes-ga-back-to-toss-up-mn-nh-better-for-democrats\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Crystal Ball<\/a>, which also moved Georgia back to the &ldquo;toss-up&rdquo; category, claiming Harris is performing better than Biden.<\/p>\n<p>Biden won the state in 2020, breaking Republican dominance at the presidential level for the first time since 1992. As Harris crisscrosses the nation to shore up support, she can rely on aid from Sens. Jon Osoff (D-GA) and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) to help her quest to keep Georgia blue.<\/p>\n<p>Trump&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-vance-atlanta-georgia-harris-rally-b21c25bbbfafdd0343c8812f6c3d7c9e\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"repeated attacks\">repeated attacks<\/a> on popular Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) and his wife, Marty Kemp, last week may not help him win the state as Republicans try to move the party past the tensions the two leaders hold against one another.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Without me, he wouldn&rsquo;t be governor. I got him elected. He was doing terribly,&rdquo; Trump boasted at a press conference Thursday about the governor. &ldquo;With that being said, I hope we can repair it, but if we don&rsquo;t, the people are still the people, and they&rsquo;re going to vote.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7. Wisconsin <\/h2>\n<p>Harris and Trump are virtually tied in the Badger State, according to a recent<a href=\"https:\/\/www.marquette.edu\/news-center\/2024\/marquette-law-school-poll-of-wisconsin-voters-finds-very-close-race-between-harris-and-trump.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> Marquette University Law School poll<\/a>. But in a <em>RealClearPolitics<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/polls\/president\/general\/2024\/wisconsin\/trump-vs-harris\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>average<\/a>, Harris is narrowly leading Trump by 0.5%<\/p>\n<p>At a campaign rally in Eau Claire on Wednesday, Harris and Walz addressed a crowd of 12,000 supporters. Walz honed in on his midwestern credentials. (Wisconsin was also the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3095378\/kamala-harris-reprises-attorney-general-role-trump-wisconsin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">first campaign rally<\/a> Harris attended after Biden exited the race.)<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Vance and Harris had a near-encounter Wednesday when they were both at the Wisconsin airport tarmac. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I just wanted to check out my future plane,&rdquo; Vance quipped to reporters. &ldquo;I also wanted to go say hello to the vice president and ask her why she refuses to answer questions from the media.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1726250\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1726250\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>**Swing-State Scorecard: Walz&#8217;s Inclusion Alters Rankings of Harris\u2019s Toughest Battlegrounds**<\/p>\n<p>The 2024 presidential race, which initially seemed poised for a Republican win, has now become a tight contest following Vice President Kamala Harris&#8217;s ascension as the Democratic nominee after President Joe Biden stepped down last month. The recent announcement of Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) as her running mate has energized the newly formed Democratic ticket ahead of the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Chicago, with polls and donor support increasingly favoring them. In just under two weeks, Harris raised an impressive $310 million in July alone, and the news of Walz joining her garnered an additional $36 million within 24 hours as they embarked on a tour through key battleground states.<\/p>\n<p>However, Republicans have seized every opportunity to criticize their campaign. Former President Donald Trump and his vice presidential candidate Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) have launched a dual strategy against Democrats; Vance is also touring battleground states while accusing Harris and Walz of avoiding media scrutiny. In response, during their kickoff tour in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Harris and Walz took several shots at the GOP ticket.<\/p>\n<p>Trump announced an unexpected press conference where he criticized Harris for not engaging with reporters and challenged her to three debates\u2014Harris agreed to only one.<\/p>\n<p>After a week filled with mutual attacks, the Washington Examiner updated its rankings of battleground states based on how challenging it would be for Vice President Kamala Harris to secure victory there:<\/p>\n<p>1. **North Carolina**: Popular Governor Roy Cooper (D-NC) opted out of joining Harris\u2019s ticket due to concerns that Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R-NC), known for his controversial remarks, might take over if Cooper campaigned elsewhere. The state hasn&#8217;t voted Democrat since 2008; thus Trump&#8217;s campaign is actively investing in ads here.<\/p>\n<p>2. **Michigan**: Initially ranked seventh hardest for Harris by Washington Examiner polling averages showing her leading Trump by two points but facing internal party tensions regarding U.S support for Israel amidst its conflict with Hamas.<\/p>\n<p>3. **Pennsylvania**: Governor Josh Shapiro (D-PA), who was considered as a potential running mate alongside Walz but ultimately wasn&#8217;t chosen due to questions about his ambitions, pledged his support for the Democratic ticket while campaigning vigorously across Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n<p>4. **Arizona**: By selecting Walz over Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), it appears Democrats are prioritizing Senate control while new polling indicates Arizona may be shifting from &#8220;Lean Republican&#8221; to &#8220;toss-up,&#8221; raising hopes among Democrats.<\/p>\n<p>5. **Nevada**: Polls show mixed results between Trump leading or trailing slightly behind Harris; however recent shifts indicate Nevada could also be competitive territory worth targeting by both campaigns given its diverse electorate favoring younger voters.<\/p>\n<p>6 &amp; 7 &#8211; **Georgia &amp; Wisconsin**: Both states are now categorized as toss-ups according to various political reports indicating that both candidates are neck-and-neck there amid ongoing campaigning efforts from both sides aiming at securing these crucial electoral votes<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2658,"featured_media":2322257,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/kamala-harris-tim-walz-rally-philly.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[37737,4021,37736,25081,27318],"class_list":["post-2322256","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-battlegrounds","tag-harris","tag-scorecard","tag-swing-state","tag-walz"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/kamala-harris-tim-walz-rally-philly.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2322256","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2658"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2322256"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2322256\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2322257"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2322256"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2322256"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2322256"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}