Live

2024 election updates: Harris says Trump 'fanning the fuel' of division after rally

"It is absolutely something that is intended," Harris says of racist rhetoric.

ByAlexandra Hutzler, Ivan Pereira, Tal Axelrod, Emily Chang, and Meredith Deliso
Last Updated: October 28, 2024, 3:42 PM EDT

As we head into the final full week of campaigning before Election Day, the latest ABC News/Ipsos poll shows Kamala Harris with a slight 51-47% lead over Donald Trump among likely voters nationally -- but the polls in the battleground states remain essentially deadlocked within the margin of error.

Fallout continues over racist comments made at Trump's big rally on Sunday at Madison Square Garden and Harris is preparing for her "closing argument" Tuesday night on the Ellipse near the Capitol and White House in Washington.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing:
Oct 28, 9:37 am

More than 41 million Americans have voted early

As of 5:45 a.m. ET on Monday, more than 41 million Americans have voted early, according to the Election Lab at the University of Florida.

Of the 41,989,199 total early votes, 21,111,171 were cast in person and 21,338,290 were balloted returned by mail.

On Monday, voters in Washington, D.C., can start casting their ballots early, in person. Almost all of the states that offer in-person early voting have begun offering it by now.

-ABC News' Oren Oppenheim

1:20 PM EDT

Biden casts his vote early in Delaware

President Joe Biden cast his ballot after waiting in line for 30 minutes.

"Joseph Biden now voting," a poll worker said inside the room after checking the president's ID.

The president also assisted a woman in a wheelchair through the line and into the voting location.

After he cast his vote, Biden was asked if this was a bittersweet moment for him, given that he had once been at the top of the Democratic ticket, but he said, "No, this is just sweet."

-ABC News' Justin Gomez

1:00 PM EDT

Nearly 25% of Michigan's active registered voters have cast their ballot

More than 250,000 voters cast ballots during the first two days of in-person statewide early voting in the swing state, and over 1.5 million Michigan voters have submitted absentee ballots, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced at a press conference on Monday.

Benson said that 24% of the state’s active registered voters have by now already cast their ballot.

Signs direct voters to a ballot drop-off location in Denver, Col., Oct. 25, 2024.
David Zalubowski/AP

Benson also highlighted some demographic breakdowns about who has voted early in Michigan so far. Almost two-thirds of Michigan citizens who voted by mail are older than 60, but 61% of those who early voted so far are under 60, and 13.5% of early voters are under 30. Benson added that "of all the votes cast to date in Michigan's elections, 55% are from women and 44% are from men."

-ABC News' Oren Oppenheim

12:27 PM EDT

Biden stands in line at polling place to cast his ballot

President Joe Biden is at a polling place in New Castle, Delaware, to vote early in the 2024 election.

According to reporters traveling with the president, there was a line of more than 100 people when he arrived. Biden walked toward the back of the line and was seen greeting and speaking with voters.

President Joe Biden, center, and Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester wait in line before voting at an early-voting polling station, Oct. 28, 2024, in New Castle, Del.
Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
President Joe Biden, center, and Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester wait in line before voting at an early-voting polling station, Oct. 28, 2024, in New Castle, Del.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
12:06 PM EDT

Harris slams Trump's MSG rally and comedian's Puerto Rico comments

Harris criticized Trump's rally at Madison Square Garden, saying the former president is "fixated on his grievances, on himself and on dividing our country."

"It is absolutely something that is intended to and is fanning the fuel of trying to divide our country. And as I’ve said many times, I'll say tomorrow night in my speech, there's a big difference between he and I," Harris told reporters as she departed Joint Base Andrews for a day of campaigning in Michigan.

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to the media before boarding Air Force Two to depart for Michigan, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, October 28, 2024.
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

Asked to respond to the comedian Tony Hinchcliffe's comments about Puerto Rico at the rally, which the Trump campaign has tried to distance itself from, Harris pointed to her support for Puerto Rico as a senator and her "opportunity economy" proposal.

"I'm very proud to have the support of folks like Bad Bunny and Jennifer Lopez and others who were supporting me before that nonsense last night at Madison Square Garden, and are supporting me because they understand that they want a president of the United States that’s about uplifting the people and not berating, not calling America a garbage can, which is what Donald Trump, those are the words he has used."

Related Topics