MILWAUKEE — MILWAUKEE (AP) – Kamala Harris on saturday, house speaker mike johnson was criticized by republicans for suggesting they could cut government subsidies for semiconductor manufacturing, as he and republican donald trump set out. a last weekend search collect all possible votes in the battlegrounds that will determine the next president.
“My plan and my intention is to continue to invest in American manufacturing,” the Democratic nominee told reporters in Milwaukee, adding that manufacturing jobs had been lost during Trump’s presidency.
Harris spoke before heading to campaign rallies in Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina. Trump was attending two rallies in North Carolina and one in Salem, Virginia, the latter a rare stop in a non-battleground state.
President Joe Biden, who dropped out of the race this summer when it became clear he couldn’t win, was doing his part for Democrats, making his final 2024 campaign stop in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
With the end of the race in sight on Tuesday, a Milwaukee reporter slipped up and referred to Harris as “Mrs. President” at one point, the vice president holding back from updating the drop-down on the title, “for three days.” ”
Johnson, R-La., later walked back his comments about the semiconductor subsidies, saying he meant them only as Republicans. “debug” the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act. But Harris said Johnson only made a follow-up statement because “their agenda is not popular.”
The legislation has put billions of dollars into the production of computer chips in the United States, and supports union jobs in battlegrounds like Michigan.
Before Harris left Milwaukee, fans lined up for his rally in Atlanta.
Marzella and Darrell Pittman, who heard about the rally in Atlanta on Friday, canceled their weekend plans and drove four hours from Alabama to attend.
Marzella thinks Harris will win, but Darrell is nervous that many of the black men in his life support Trump and are hesitant to vote for a woman for president.
“It’s tight, and on the other side, a lot of our people managed to believe in that side, like we believe in Kamala,” he said.
Until the election, “we just have to vote in our minds and we’re talking to everyone,” said Marzella.
“There’s so much at stake” and “there’s no way we’re going to let this slip away,” Darrell said.
Carol Hicks, who rides around with a pile of Harris posters in the back seat, said she was optimistic that she has “hard-line Republican colleagues” who voted for Harris who couldn’t bring themselves to vote for Trump. Some of the people in his life are undecided because they don’t want to vote for a woman, but he tells them that “only weak men can’t stand a strong woman.
Trump supporters were equally passionate about their candidate.
Nick Chakur, 68, a retired police officer from Center Line, Michigan, who attended a Friday night rally near Warren, said he was optimistic about Trump’s chances, but said it depends on voter turnout.
“Like sports, you have to keep going until the whistle blows,” he said.
Stephanie Tanzini, 77, wore an American flag baseball cap at the same rally.
Tanzini said she plans to be up “24/7” on election night waiting for the results – enjoying chips, gravy and cake while the results come in – with a bowl of marshmallows on hand to throw in celebration.
“Devastated because Trump is going to win this,” he said.
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Associated Press writers Chris Megerian in Washington, Charlotte Kramon in Atlanta and Isabella Volmert in Warren, Michigan contributed to this report.
