A supporter displays their boot during a campaign rally featuring Democratic presidential nominee and US Vice-President Kamala Harris at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, on October 13. – Reuters

Kamala Harris and her rival Donald Trump intensified their efforts in key battleground states on Sunday, aiming to secure last-minute advantages in a tightly contested White House race. Recent polls indicate that Harris is struggling to maintain support among certain traditional Democratic voter groups. Harris campaigned in North Carolina, a state severely affected by a hurricane two weeks prior, which caused widespread devastation and claimed over 235 lives across the US Southeast. She aimed to counter Trump's assertions that federal agencies have been ineffective in assisting storm victims.

“Moments of crisis, I believe, do have a way of revealing the heroes among us,” Harris stated during a speech at a church in Greenville, a city with a significant African-American population that played a pivotal role in the civil rights movement. Without directly naming Trump, Harris criticized those who spread “disinformation” about individuals working diligently to aid those in need.

Trump, on the other hand, focused heavily on the critical election issue of migration during a rally in Arizona. In a lengthy 92-minute speech, he pledged to hire 10,000 new US border guards if reelected. Earlier, in a Fox News interview, Trump suggested the use of military force against Americans he described as “the enemy from within.” “We have some sick people, radical left lunatics,” he said, though he did not specify whom he was referring to. “And it should be very easily handled by – if necessary, by National Guard or, if really necessary, by the military.” Federal law generally prohibits the use of the military for civilian law enforcement, with limited exceptions.

In a separate incident, a man armed with a shotgun and a loaded handgun was arrested near a Trump rally in California on Saturday. The Secret Service confirmed that the former president, who has faced two assassination attempts since July, was not in danger during the incident.

Polling data reveals a close race between Harris and Trump, particularly in the seven swing states that are expected to decide the election outcome. Harris has yet to stem the flow of Latino voters shifting towards Trump, despite his strongly anti-immigration stance. According to the latest New York Times/Siena College poll, Harris is underperforming compared to recent Democratic nominees among likely Latino voters, currently securing only 56 percent of the demographic compared to Trump’s 37 percent, a 19-point margin.

While Harris enjoys significant support from women, especially women of color, she is facing challenges in gaining traction with Black male voters, many of whom are leaning towards the Republican candidate. As Harris campaigned in North Carolina, President Joe Biden was in Florida assessing the damage caused by Hurricane Milton. He announced $600 million in aid for areas affected by Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene, which struck with deadly force in late September.

With just 23 days remaining until the November 5 election, Trump and his running mate Senator J.D. Vance continue to highlight federal disaster response as a central issue in the presidential race. When asked on ABC’s “This Week” whether Trump’s characterization of the federal response as incompetent was accurate, Vance responded, “It’s to suggest that Americans are feeling left behind by their government, which they are.” Both candidates are scheduled to hold campaign events in Pennsylvania, the largest swing state, on Monday. Additionally, former President Bill Clinton campaigned in Georgia on Sunday, speaking at Mount Zion Baptist Church, a historically Black congregation.

During a later rally in Greenville, Harris accused Trump of “not being transparent with the voters,” citing his refusal to release his medical records or participate in an interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes news program. “It makes you wonder, why does his staff want him to hide away?” she questioned. “Are they afraid that people will see that he is too weak and unstable to lead America?”