Supporters of Democratic presidential nominee US Vice President Kamala Harris attend a campaign rally in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US on November 4. — Reuters
Supporters of Democratic presidential nominee US Vice President Kamala Harris attend a campaign rally in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US on November 4. — Reuters

The winner of the US presidential election will govern a nation of more than 330 million people, but the contest will almost certainly be decided by just tens of thousands of voters — a tiny fraction of the populace — in a handful of states.

According to Reuters, among the seven of the 50 states that are truly competitive this year, Pennsylvania, the most populous, stands out as the most likely state to determine whether Democrat Kamala Harris or Republican Donald Trump will be the next president.

There are seven states that could swing either way on November 5: the Rust Belt trio of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, and the Sun Belt quartet of Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and North Carolina.

As of Oct 16, according to a New York Times public poll tracker, all seven battleground states were in a virtual dead heat. Trump held a narrow 2-percentage-point lead in Arizona; the other six swing states were all within a point on average, the tracker showed.

With 19 electoral votes, more than any other battleground, Pennsylvania is widely seen as critical to either Harris’s or Trump’s chances of winning the White House and is considered the most likely “tipping point” state — the one that carries a candidate past 269 electoral votes.

Read more here.

Opinion

Editorial

Counterterrorism plan
Updated 23 Nov, 2024

Counterterrorism plan

Lacunae in our counterterrorism efforts need to be plugged quickly.
Bullish stock market
23 Nov, 2024

Bullish stock market

NORMALLY, stock markets rise gradually. In recent months, however, Pakistan’s stock market has soared to one ...
Political misstep
23 Nov, 2024

Political misstep

FORMER first lady Bushra Bibi’s video address to PTI followers has triggered a firestorm. Her assertion implying...
Kurram atrocity
Updated 22 Nov, 2024

Kurram atrocity

It would be a monumental mistake for the state to continue ignoring the violence in Kurram.
Persistent grip
22 Nov, 2024

Persistent grip

An audit of polio funds at federal and provincial levels is sorely needed, with obstacles hindering eradication efforts targeted.
Green transport
22 Nov, 2024

Green transport

THE government has taken a commendable step by announcing a New Energy Vehicle policy aiming to ensure that by 2030,...