These states are Harris' path to presidency
Vice President Kamala Harris is getting ready to set out on a swing-state campaign blitz, giving her a far heavier travel schedule than her opponent, former President Donald Trump.
Harris is rushing to introduce herself to voters with just three months until Election Day. It will also be the first time she will appear with her yet-to-be-announced running mate.
Starting Tuesday, the vice president will campaign across seven swing states over five days, one of the heaviest weeks of campaign-related travel in the general election.
Harris is set to appear alongside her running mate for the first time Tuesday in Philadelphia, where the pair will kick off the cross-country tour.
The latest NPR Electoral Map of the most competitive states shows that Trump currently holds a 268-226 lead over Harris -- just short of the 270 needed to win the presidency.
According to the analysis, Trump was leading in the "Blue Wall" states of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan before Biden exited, but now those states are "pure toss-ups." The report also notes that Trump's leads in the "Sun Belt" states of North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada have been "sliced in half" since Harris entered the race.
The shift gives Harris more potential paths to the White House, NPR reported. Her "easiest path" is if she takes all three Blue Wall states.
"She would be at 270 without any of the Sun Belt states (provided she wins all of the states that are leaning her direction and is currently leading)," the analysis noted. "Because of that, these Blue Wall states are a key focus of the Harris campaign."
NPR also suggests that Harris could make up shortcomings in Blue Wall states by winning one or multiple Sun Belt states.
On the other hand, NPR says Trump could reach the 270 for the presidency without having to win North Carolina, Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin or Michigan -- if he wins Pennsylvania and Georgia, along with the other states currently leaning in his favor.
