Trump concludes MSG rally with anti-immigrant rhetoric

Trump was introduced to the stage by Melania in an unannounced appearance.

ByAlexandra Hutzler, Ivan Pereira, Tal Axelrod, Meredith Deliso, Emily Chang, David Brennan, and Julia Reinstein
Last Updated: October 28, 2024, 6:39 AM EDT

The race for the White House remained essentially a dead heat on Sunday -- with nine days to go until Election Day.

Former President Donald Trump delivered a speech Sunday afternoon at New York's Madison Square Garden. After making several stops in Philadelphia on Sunday, Vice President Kamala Harris held a rally there Sunday afternoon.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news developed:
Oct 28, 6:03 am

Almost 42 million voters have cast a vote

Almost 42 million Americans have cast a vote through early voting methods, as of Sunday afternoon, according to data from the University of Florida's Election Lab.

The about 41.9 million recorded mail and early in-person votes were evenly split with about 21 million mail ballots returned nationally and about the same cast at in-person early voting polling sites across the country, the data showed.

Early voting options are now open to voters in 50 states and the District of Columbia. Many early voting periods will last until the weekend before Election Day.

Oct 25, 2024, 10:44 AM EDT

Half of Americans see Trump as fascist, Harris viewed as pandering: POLL

A new poll from ABC News and Ipsos found half of Americans (49%) see Trump as a fascist, or "a political extremist who seeks to act as a dictator, disregards individual rights and threatens or uses force against their opponents."

A majority of voters (65%) also said Trump often says things that are not true.

But Harris also faces perception headwinds, though far fewer Americans (22%) said they viewed her as a fascist.

Fifty-seven percent of registered voters said Harris is making proposals "that just are intended to get people to vote for her," not that she intends to carry out. Just more than half (52%) said the same about Trump.

Read more takeaways from the poll here.

Oct 25, 2024, 7:51 AM EDT

Trump to appear on Joe Rogan podcast in play for young male voters

Former President Donald Trump sits down with podcast host Joe Rogan for the first time Friday, appearing on the highly popular "The Joe Rogan Experience," as he reaches out to an audience of mostly young males as potential voters.

Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump arrives at a Turning Point Action campaign rally at the Thomas & Mack Center on Oct. 24, 2024 in Las Vegas.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

The podcast, which boasts approximately 15.7 million followers, a Spotify representative confirmed to ABC News, is greater than the population of any of the seven election battleground states.

Read more here

-ABC News’ Brittany Shepherd and Emily Chang

Oct 25, 2024, 6:50 AM EDT

Harris heads to Texas to highlight abortion access

Vice President Kamala Harris was headed to Houston Friday to speak on one of her top issues -- reproductive freedom.

Her campaign says she chose Texas because of the state’s restrictive abortion law – which bans abortion in almost all circumstances.

Harris will be joined, her campaign says, by women who have suffered because of lack of abortion access and related medical care.

Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, speaks during a campaign rally at the James R Hallford Stadium on Oct. 24, 2024 in Clarkston, Ga.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

She will also be joined by celebrities, including Beyonce and Willie Nelson.

-ABC News' Gabriella Abdul-Hakim

Oct 25, 2024, 6:48 AM EDT

More than 31 million have voted as of Friday morning

As of Friday morning, more than 31 million Americans had voted early, according to the Election Lab at the University of Florida.

Of the total early votes numbering 31,402,309, in-person early votes accounted for 13,687,197 ballots and mail-in ballots numbered 17,715,831.

This means that more than 16 million people have voted since Monday.

-ABC News' Emily Chang