Irish voters may still be waiting to hear exactly when we’re going to the polls (there will be a real shock if it isn’t November 29 later this week), but in America it’s Election Day.
And no disrespect to our politicians or our own exercise of democracy, but the choice that will be made between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump is probably the most consequential choice for the future of the world.
The election had no shortage of drama, from Harris’ replacement of President Joe Biden on the Democratic Party ticket to the attempt on the Republican candidate’s life that saw an assassin’s bullet graze Trump’s ear during a rally in July.
To use the common expression before the US elections: it’s too close to promise.
As our Washington correspondent Keith Duggan reports that polling places in the United States are open today with all the polling experts, campaign veterans and the campaigns themselves completely in the dark as to whether Harris or Trump will be sworn in as the 47th president in January.
For weeks, aggregate polls have depicted a presidential race that has become unreadably close in the seven battleground states in which both parties have a strong chance of winning.
While Harris has a slim majority in national polls, with a 48 percent to 46.9 percent lead over Trump, and hopes to swing North Carolina in her favor, Republican The candidate has eaten the slim lead she had in Pennsylvania.
And Pennsylvania, with its 19 electoral college votes, is an important prize. Both candidates want to boost their chances of getting them to the White House.
Trump visited Pennsylvania for the last time with a lunch meeting in Reading and he concluded his campaign with a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Harris was in nearby Allentown, Pennsylvania, on Monday and later attended a sunset concert outside the Philadelphia Art Museum that featured Lady Gaga and Oprah Winfrey.
Philadelphia-based Democratic Congressman Brendan Boyle, whose father is from Donegal, predicted in a CNN interview that his state will “probably determine the election.”
Duggan lays out the choice facing American voters outlining how, to more than half the electorate, Trump “represents a nightmarish figure and a lightning rod for potential civil unrest and violence” and to the other half “he is a singular savior; a figure who can save America.”
He writes that “the late momentum points to a historic night, with Harris becoming the first female president of the United States. “But even though Tuesday has been announced as America’s decision night, there is great fear that nothing will be resolved.”
Don’t expect results quickly.
Elsewhere in our reporting, Hugh Linehan provides a useful guide to watching the US election results unfold overnightincluding when polls close in key swing states. Perhaps the most helpful advice is “take a nap first.”
Best lectures
Steven Carroll reports from the southern and western swing states in the US. His latest piece, however, comes from Florida, which has been solidly Republican for some time. Steven reports on how the preparations for Donald Trump are going election day to his Mar-a-Lago resort is upon us with the former president set to cast his vote today in Palm Beach.
In Opinion, Michael Brendan Dougherty gives his opinion on this Trump is overconfident and Harris is insecure and Americans are choosing between a man they know far too well and a woman they would rather not get to know.
Housing is expected to be a key issue at home in the general election and Jack Horgan-Jones reports on how that’s going The coalition must agree on new housing targets of an average of 50,500 new homes per year during the lifetime of the next administration.
Campaigner of Stardust Survivors Antoinette Keegan plans to stand as a National Party candidate at the general election. Meanwhile, in other candidate news, Sinn Féin has chosen Maria McCormack to run in Laois in place of outgoing TD Brian Stanley who left the party last month. Jade Wilson, Ronan McGreevy and Jennifer Bray report.
Seanín Graham reports on how a police investigation into allegedly inappropriate online messages sent by a Sinn Fein Councilor in the North, JJ Magee, of a minor, has noted that “no criminal offenses have been established”. Mr Magee, who denies the allegations, has been suspended from the party.
Playbook
The cabinet is meeting this morning. Harry McGee’s story, detailing how the government will approve the appointment of Ireland’s first full-time ambassador to Palestine, is here.
The 33rd Dáil will begin what is likely to be its last week of sittings at noon with leadership questions.
Government business in the afternoon (from 3:06 p.m.) includes an accelerated examination of the financing law that must be adopted before the elections in order to bring into force budgetary measures in the tax area.
Expect a lot of use of the guillotine mechanism this week to get legislation over the line.
Other government cases include the Family Courts Bill 2022 and the Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2024 – to ban the sale of tobacco to people under the age of 21.
The Senad will debate all phases of the Health Insurance (Amendment) and Healthcare (Provision of Menopause Products) Bill 2024 from 3.15 pm.
It’s a busy day in committee land.
At 10am, the Committee on the Environment and Climate Action will hear from Christian Aid Ireland, Trocaire and Oxfam Ireland, ahead of the COP29 climate talks.
The National Council for Curriculum and Evaluation will attend the Education Committee from 11am to provide an update on the draft specifications of the curriculum at the primary level.
The committees for transport; government expenditure; agriculture; and Foreign Affairs and Defense will all hear from ministers on additional estimates – i.e. extra funding these departments need before the end of the year. This is another exercise to get things in order before the elections are called.
The full Dáil, Seanad and Committee schedules can be found here.
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