Georgia judge blocks controversial ballot hand tally rule
By Zach Montellaro A Georgia state judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked a controversial rule supported by allies of former President Donald Trump that election administrators feared would cause last-minute chaos in the election. Judge Robert McBurney granted a request from election officials in Cobb County and others to pause a rule that would require poll workers to hand-count the number of ballots soon after polls close. McBurney noted in his order that the rule was being instituted so close to Election Day that poll workers couldnât be trained for it. âShould the Hand Count Rule take effect as scheduled, it would do
Harris gives Democrats a boost, but control of House up for grabs
By Mike Lillis and Mychael Shnell Democrats have a fair shot at flipping control of the House â largely because of the boost provided by Vice President Harris at the top of the ticket â but the battle is a horse race that is too close to call heading into the final weeks of the campaign, according to a host of election forecasters following the contest closely. Anecdotally, there were early signs that replacing President Biden with Harris as the nominee over the summer had strengthened the Democratsâ chances of seizing the lower chamber. Lawmakers across the country reported a surge in fundraising, campaign
Trump claims Fox News âhas totally lost its wayâ after the network announces it will interview Harris
By Greta Reich Former President Donald Trump on Monday criticized Fox News in a series of social media posts, claiming the conservative-leaning network âhas grown weak and soft on Democratsâ after the network announced it will interview Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump posted on social media that Fox News anchor Bret Baier, who will interview Harris on Wednesday, is too soft on the left. In a separate post, Trump claimed that Harrisâ spokesperson, Ian Sams, âvirtually owns [Fox]â and took shots at several Fox News personalities, including Neil Cavuto. âLyinâ Kamala Harris has wisely chosen Bret Baier, of FoxNews, to do a much
Key issues facing voters in the 2024 general election
By Megan Sayles As election day draws near, Black voters face a pivotal moment, as candidates at national, state and local levels take distinct approaches to addressing critical issues, like health disparities, wealth gaps, reproductive rights, voter suppression and education. With a polarizing presidential race, tight races in Congress and contentious ballot measures, it becomes even more important for voters to identify the policies that enable them to thrive. The AFRO sat down with three leading, nonpartisan voter organizations that seek to empower the Black community to determine which issues are the most pressing. Hereâs what they said. Voting rights Voter roll
With Obama, ‘All the Smoke’ and ‘huddle-ups,’ Harris ramps up outreach to Black men
By Nnamdi Egwuonwu and Yamiche Alcindor Vice President Kamala Harrisâ campaign this week is launching its clearest effort yet to target Black men, announcing a new set of policy proposals, ramped-up programming and a media blitz â all designed to engage Black male voters as Republicans make a play for the typically Democratic constituency. âAs we approach the final stretch here, she wants to make sure that we are speaking directly to a constituency that has always been important for her, and thatâs Black men,â said Michael Tyler, the Harris-Walz campaignâs communications director. The vice president on Monday outlined her âOpportunity Agenda for
Why Harris Isnât Talking About Bidenâs Accomplishments
By Victoria Guida President Joe Biden launched a large-scale experiment during his first term, aimed at boosting American manufacturing, expanding green energy, and making the economy more resilient in the face of disruptions. His vice president isnât really running on it. Why? For starters, these are policies that take time, and voters donât give credit for what hasnât happened yet. Investment has surged in factory construction, but most of the jobs they could yield donât exist yet. A Taiwanese manufacturer has started making chips for Apple phones in the U.S., but progress on spurring domestic semiconductor production is still in its
Whitmer, Shapiro, Evers to launch battleground bus tour promoting Harris
By Julia Manchester The Democratic governors of the âblue wallâ states launched a bus tour Friday aimed at ginning up support for Vice President Harris in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The Driving Forward blue wall bus tour is set to kick off in partnership with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) and her Fight Like Hell PAC, along with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D). âThereâs only one ticket in this race with an economic plan that puts middle class families first: Vice President Harris and Governor Tim Walz,â Whitmer said in a statement. âAnd Iâm hitting the road with my friends
âBlack men, we need youâ: Democrats offer star-studded push to juice Black voter turnout in Detroit
By Brakkton Booker Democrats are deploying prominent Black surrogates to Michigan to deliver an urgent plea: Black men, we need you. Itâs a concerted push, involving the likes of NBA hall-of-famer Magic Johnson, New York Attorney General Tish James, Democratic Party elder Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), Gen-Z Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) and actress Kerry Washington in Detroit, which is nearly 80 percent Black, and the surrounding area. And itâs the latest sign that the Kamala Harris campaign â and Democrats more broadly â see trouble on the horizon. Harris has built up a small advantage in Michigan, but soft turnout among Black voters could
Harris, Trump in virtual dead heat in major swing states
By Julia Manchester Vice President Harris and former President Trump are nearly tied in the major swing states that will play a deciding role in the election, according to polling released Thursday by The Hill and Emerson College Polling. Trump narrowly leads Harris, 49 percent to 48 percent, in each of Georgia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, while in Arizona, he leads 49 percent to 47 percent. Trumpâs leads are within the surveyâs 3-point margin of error in those states. The two candidates are deadlocked at 49 percent in Michigan and Wisconsin, while Harris leads 48 percent to 47 percent in Nevada, within the
Vance and Walz rally in Arizona as early voting begins
By Mia McCarthy and Meredith Lee Hill Tim Walz and JD Vance are holding rival rallies in Arizona on Wednesday as the state kicks off early voting and the campaigns push to reach voters in the key battleground. Both candidates and their running mates are campaigning in Arizona, a state that President Joe Biden won in 2020 but former President Donald Trump took in 2016 in the tight race. The vice presidential candidatesâ visits will be followed by stops in the state later in the week by Vice President Kamala Harris, who will be in Phoenix on Friday, and Trump, who will