(NewsNation) — Former President Donald Trump headed to New Mexico and Nevada on Thursday to secure support out west before the last weekend of the 2024 election.
At the New Mexico rally, Trump told supporters that his advisers said he didn’t need to come to the state because he wouldn’t be able to win it. Still, Trump asked rallygoers in Albuquerque to turn out and vote for him.
“One of the reasons we will win this state is you have one of the worst border problems of any state, and I’m the only one who will fix it,” he said.
Trump will also make a stop in Arizona on Thursday for a live interview with Tucker Carlson. The proceeds from the event will be donated to relief efforts for those impacted by Hurricane Milton and Helene.
The latest poll by The Hill/Decision Desk HQ shows that Trump is leading Vice President Kamala Harris by less than two points in Nevada but is trailing the vice president by 8.3% in New Mexico.
While New Mexico is not considered a swing state, Trump went to Albuquerque in a last effort to win over voters. Republicans have won in the state only once over the last eight presidential elections.
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Dead-even presidential race
As of Thursday morning, the race between Trump and Harris remained a toss-up with Harris leading Trump nationally by just 0.6%, according to The Hill/Decision Desk HQ polling. The polling average is based on 312 national polls.
In New Mexico, the former president is expected to address the border crisis during his rally, blaming Harris for her part in the Biden administration policies that Trump’s campaign said “wreaked havoc” on the state’s residents. He is also expected to address inflation in the state and the unaffordable cost of living.
According to New Mexico’s inflation update, as of September, the average household is paying more than $1,000 more on basic essentials and reeling with a 22.1% inflation rate compared to prices in January 2021.
In Nevada, Trump is expected to discuss housing costs and the economy, promoting Harris’ “failed economic agenda.” He is also expected to vow to make housing more affordable, especially in Nevada where it is short by over 78,000 affordable renting units and inflation has left residents unable to afford the cost of living.
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Trump’s garbage truck ride
On Wednesday, Trump stumped in North Carolina and Wisconsin, to shore up voters in the two swing states.
It was in Wisconsin that Trump climbed into a Trump-themed garbage truck in his motorcade to draw attention to comments from President Joe Biden where he seemingly called Trump supporters “garbage.”
“How do you like my garbage truck? This truck is in honor of Kamala and Joe Biden,” Trump said from the passenger seat of the truck, which was adorned with a Trump campaign sticker and Trump flag.
Trump campaign staff widely shared photos of the truck and the former president in the passenger seat as photographers snapped pictures. The campaign has tried to capitalize on outrage among Trump supporters over Biden’s remark, even as Vice President Harris has distanced herself from the comment.
“First of all, he clarified his comments but let me be clear: I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for,” Harris told reporters earlier Wednesday.
Biden sparked backlash Tuesday night when he appeared to compare Trump’s supporters to garbage while commenting on a racist joke a comedian made at a Trump rally days earlier likening Puerto Rico to an “island of garbage.”
The White House, in a statement, argued that the president was being misinterpreted and had been referring to the rhetoric at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally Sunday as “garbage,” not the Republican’s supporters.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.