As the clock ticks down to election day, the presidential race is reaching a fever pitch in the crucial swing state of Michigan. At a fiery rally in Warren on Friday, former president Donald Trump launched fresh verbal attacks on his Republican nemesis Liz Cheney while also taking a moment to lament his bad hair day.
Trump’s visit comes as both he and his Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, are locked in a fierce battle to win over undecided voters in this pivotal Midwestern state. A recent Detroit Free Press poll shows Harris holding a razor-thin three-point lead, setting the stage for a nail-biter finish.
Trump Stokes Fears, Urges Turnout
In his characteristic style, Trump used the rally to stoke fears about immigrants, falsely claiming that “every state is a border state” and that many migrants entering the country illegally are criminals and murderers. He implored his supporters to flood the polls, saying, “We have to get out and vote, everybody. Don’t take any chances.”
The former president also waxed nostalgic about his signature rallies, musing, “We’re gonna miss these rallies, aren’t we?” But even in a moment of reflection, he couldn’t resist taking a jab at his own appearance: “I’m studying my hair. It looks not so good today … not a good hair day for me, ay ay ay.”
Doubling Down on Cheney Attacks
Trump repeated his blistering criticism of Cheney, one day after suggesting the former GOP representative should face a firing squad. “She’s a tough one. But if you gave Liz Cheney a gun, put her into battle facing the other side with guns pointing at her, she wouldn’t have the courage or the strength or the stamina to even look the enemy in the eye,” he declared to the crowd.
That’s why I broke up with her.
– Donald Trump on Liz Cheney
Democrats Fight for Michigan
Meanwhile, the Harris campaign is pulling out all the stops to energize key Democratic constituencies in Michigan, including young voters, Black communities, suburban women, and auto workers. The vice president has spent more time on the ground here than in any other state except Pennsylvania.
Last week, former President Barack Obama joined forces with hip hop icon Eminem at a massive get-out-the-vote rally in Detroit. Senator Bernie Sanders, a darling of the progressive left, has also been stumping for Harris, seeking to allay concerns among young voters that she is just another corporate Democrat.
Ad Blitz and Arab-American Outreach
Both campaigns have flooded Michigan airwaves with ads, many featuring exaggerated or outright false claims, in a titanic struggle for the state’s 16 electoral votes. With $759 million in political ad spending, Michigan ranks among the top targets for both parties in this cycle.
Trump also made a stop in Dearborn earlier Friday to court Arab-American voters. Many in this community have grown disillusioned with President Biden’s handling of the Israel-Gaza conflict, giving Republicans an opening in a normally Democratic stronghold.
A State Divided
Michigan finds itself once again at the heart of the national political tug-of-war. Trump eked out a narrow win here in 2016 before Biden flipped it back to the Democrats four years later. Now, with the race coming down to the wire, this perennial battleground looks poised to play a decisive role in choosing the next leader of the free world.
As the final weekend of the campaign beckons, voters will render their verdict on whether Trump’s incendiary populist appeal still resonates in the industrial heartland, or if Harris’s message of steady leadership will carry the day. In this deeply polarized state, every vote will count. The eyes of the nation are fixed on Michigan.
