The 7 states that will swing the fate of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump

With the 2024 US presidential election set to go down the wire, it will be up to the seven swing states to determine the fate of Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, 60, and her Republican rival and former President Donald Trump, 78. These pivotal states — Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin — have 93 electoral votes and are the primary battlegrounds as both candidates vie for the 270 of the total 538 electoral votes required to secure the presidency.
Swing states, or battleground states, are those that can shift between Democratic and Republican support depending on the election. These states, with historically narrow voting margins and varied outcomes over time, draw significant attention from candidates, who focus their campaigns there to sway voters and secure crucial electoral votes. On the final day of campaigning, both Harris and Trump held marathon rallies in Pennsylvania, the largest of the swing states with 19 electoral college votes.
The US presidential election is set for November 5.

While all seven states are essential to either campaign, three states in particular — Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin — are crucial for Harris’s path to victory. Known as the “Blue Wall”, these states were reliable Democratic strongholds until Trump flipped all three in 2016, breaking the Democrats’ winning streak in the region.
In 2020, Joe Biden reclaimed these states for the Democrats, but by narrow margins, highlighting their competitive nature and making them must-wins for Harris in 2024.

In addition to the “Blue Wall”, four other battleground states are in play:

Nonpartisan analysts estimate that Harris needs about 45 electoral votes beyond her expected “safe” states to reach 270, heavily banking on Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Securing these three “Blue Wall” states could put her well on the way to victory.
For Trump, the path to 270 would likely require reclaiming key battlegrounds he won in 2016, particularly Pennsylvania and Michigan, along with success in historically Democrat-leaning states like North Carolina.
In the run-up to the polls, both Harris and Trump have campaigned intensively in these swing states. Harris has emphasised themes of unity and community, aiming to solidify support within the “Blue Wall” and Sun Belt states. On the other hand, Trump focussed on criticising the current administration and promising economic recovery.