Trump suggests he might fire Fauci

The president was responding to chants of "Fire Fauci" at a Florida rally.

ByLauren King, Julia Jacobo, Ivan Pereira, and Marc Nathanson
Last Updated: November 2, 2020, 10:18 AM EST

President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden are racing toward Election Day with Biden in Pennsylvania and Trump Michigan, Iowa, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida on Sunday.

Vice President Mike Pence is in North Carolina and Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., is in Georgia and North Carolina.

In the season's final ABC News/Washington Post polls, the pandemic versus the economy defines the presidential contest in two key battlegrounds, with Florida holding firm to its toss-up status while Biden leads slightly in Pennsylvania.

There's little change in either state. In Florida, Donald Trump has 50% support among likely voters to Biden's 48%; it was 51%-47% in an ABC/Post poll Sept. 20. Trump won the state by 112,911 votes out of more than 9.4 million cast in 2016.

In Pennsylvania, the race stands at 51%-44%, Biden-Trump, a 7-point advantage for the Democrat; that compares with a 9-point margin late last month. Here, Trump's 2016 win was even narrower: 44,292 votes out of nearly 6.2 million cast.

Top headlines:

Here is how the news developed on Sunday. All times Eastern.
Nov 01, 2020, 2:08 PM EST

Efforts to throw out 127,000 votes in Harris County, Texas, continue

The Texas State Supreme Court has again just rejected a separate effort by the plaintiffs in this case seeking to invalidate the Harris County drive-thru votes.

The order, which was posted on the court's website Sunday, did not include any comment on the merits of the case.

This is separate from an effort underway by the plaintiffs in the Southern District of Texas federal court, where a federally appointed judge could decide whether to invalidate 127,000 early ballots cast in Harris County via a secure "drive-thru" method after a lawsuit was filed, challenging the county on the legitimacy of the method.

Harris County said it got state approval for drive-in voting in June. The state of Texas did not allow for no-excuse absentee voting during the pandemic, so this method ensured at-risk people could vote in the safety of their cars. 

A similar lawsuit was rejected by the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court last week. 

Harris County has already set an all-time record for total turnout, with the drive-thru votes accounting for roughly 10% of the total early vote turnout.

More than 9 million people have voted in Texas, already surpassing the total vote count in 2016.
1:52

Recent polls indicate a close race in Texas

More than 9 million people have voted in Texas, already surpassing the total vote count in 2016.
ABCNews.com

-ABC News’ Alexander Mallin, Matt Foster and Jon Schlosberg

Nov 01, 2020, 1:47 PM EST

First lady to speak at campaign rally in North Carolina

First lady Melania trump will speak at a campaign rally in Huntersville, North Carolina, on Monday at 4 p.m., according to the campaign.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive for a campaign rally outside Raymond James Stadium, Oct. 29, 2020, in Tampa.
Evan Vucci/AP

Nov 01, 2020, 1:38 PM EST

ABC News chief on covering 2020 Election Day: 'Our audience is counting on us to get this right'

On election night in 2000, voters were told the crucial state of Florida had gone to one candidate. Then, they were told it actually went to another. Then again, they were told it was in fact too close to call.

Today, amid unprecedented concerns about reporting the election results in a timely manner, broadcast news networks are bracing for an extended period of uncertainty and trying to set expectations accordingly -- both for audiences and within their own offices.

"We have to get election night right," James Goldston, president of ABC News, said in an interview with ABC's daily podcast "Start Here." "On the flip side of that, I think what the audience has to expect on that night... I would use two words: uncertainty and patience."

--ABC News' Brad Mielke

Nov 01, 2020, 1:18 PM EST

Dems' focus on Philadelphia to offset expected strong showings for GOP in rural areas

Biden will make several stops in Philadelphia on Sunday ahead of Election Day, as Democrats try to juice turnout in a city where they need to perform well to offset the expected strong showings from Republican in rural parts of the state. 

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and granddaughter Natalie Biden board his campaign plane at New Castle Airport in Delaware, Oct. 29, 2020.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Hillary Clinton won 82.3% of the vote in Philadelphia in 2016 with 584,025 - 4,781 fewer votes than President Barack Obama received in 2012, and 10,192 fewer than he received in 2008. 

Given that President Trump won Pennsylvania by roughly 44,000 votes four years ago, Democrats know it's important to get as many people to vote in Philadelphia as possible.

-ABC News' Benjamin Siegel