usatoday--2020-11-01--Texas smashed early-voting records. Which party will benefit?

With a record number of ballots cast during the early-voting period in Texas , candidates , strategists and political analysts were poring over the numbers , looking for clues as to which way the state might go on Election Day .
Roughly 57 % of registered voters in the state voted early as of Saturday , shattering previous turnout records with one day of voting ahead .
The 9.6 million Texans voting early was a 47 % increase from the number of early voters in the 2016 general election .
About 735,000 more people voted early this year in Texas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election , including on Election Day .
For decades , general-election turnout in Texas has been among the lowest in the country as most statewide contests have been foregone conclusions .
The last time a Democrat won statewide office was in 1996 , and the last Democratic presidential candidate to carry Texas was Jimmy Carter in 1976 .
But this year is different , at least according to Democrats who are optimistic that the surge in early voting signals greater numbers of Democrats turning out to the polls , raising the possibility of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In addition to the state ’ s 38 electoral votes , control of the Texas House is at stake .
And Democrats are targeting several GOP-held congressional seats anchored in the suburbs of the state ’ s biggest cities , including four in the Austin area .
Republicans look at the numbers and see a different story : a close election , but one that will return statewide GOP candidates to office and deliver Texas to the Republican column in the presidential race .
Recent polling has shown President Donald Trump and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Texas , and the nonpartisan Cook Political Report , a leading election forecasting site , on Wednesday moved the state from `` lean Republican '' to `` toss up . ''
Early voting was more popular than ever in large cities and suburban areas where Republicans lost ground in 2018 .
In Travis County , more than half a million voters cast ballots during early voting and mail-in voting , more than 64 % of registered voters , far surpassing the vote total for the entire 2016 general election .
Although voter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Daron Shaw , a University of Texas political science professor , cautioned that the numbers alone don ’ t demonstrate that Texas is in play , as there are several factors to consider .
For one , Gov .
Greg Abbott expanded early voting in the state by six days to alleviate crowding at polling places amid the coronavirus pandemic , creating more opportunities for Texans to cast their ballots .
And the early vote as a share of the overall vote has been growing every election for years .
`` With that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quite know how to gauge what we ’ re seeing against historical precedent , because the context has changed , '' Shaw said .
`` I ’ m therefore suspicious of people who want to read in all sorts of partisan implications .
I ’ m not sure what we ’ re looking at , in that regard . ''
He added , `` I think sometimes we get a little too cute with the data . ''
Different modeling based on data compiled from voters who have cast their ballots thus far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a toss-up than it has been in recent history – the question is just how slim the margin will be , and in whose favor .
Modeling from FiveThirtyEight shows that Trump is “ slightly favored ” to win Texas , in 66 of 100 scenarios run by analysts at the outlet .
TargetSmart , a national Democratic group , said data show `` Texas is in play , '' and that the electorate this year is at least 2 % more Democratic than the electorate in the 2018 election .
That year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beto O ’ Rourke by 2.6 percentage points .
In shifting the presidential race in Texas to toss-up status , Cook Political Report cited polling showing a competitive presidential contest in the state , but it cautioned that there is a level of uncertainty surrounding the state , in part because of its growing population .
`` It ’ s also the case that we don ’ t have a whole lot of experience with Texas as a battleground state , '' wrote Amy Walter , a Cook Political Report staff writer .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Once voting starts , consultants numbers based on the number of ballots cast by mail and in-person during early voting , and voter data from past elections .
Texas voters do not have to register with a political party , complicating the task of forecasting results .
Derek Ryan , a Republican consultant and data analyst in Texas , said he models voter data by matching every person who has voted so far this year against a list he maintains of all registered voters , which includes such details as age , gender @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections each person cast a ballot .
Previous elections can reveal a voter ’ s political leanings , especially if they consistently vote in one party ’ s primary election .
But voters can switch party primaries from one election to the next , so primary voting doesn ’ t always serve as an accurate prediction for how they might vote in a general election .
Ryan ’ s latest report , published Thursday , shows that nearly 30 % of people voting early this year have a history of voting in Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voted in Democratic primaries .
In an update from his research firm , Ryan said the numbers show “ voters who most recently voted in a Republican primary have about a 350,000 vote advantage over voters who most recently voted in a Democratic Primary.
” '' The modeling and all that stuff that both parties use has gotten pretty sophisticated and good over the years — better each year , '' said Keir Murray , a Democratic consultant in Texas .
`` But , it still has limitations on what it can actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limitation is high turnout among first-time voters or occasional voters , making it harder to predict who they ’ ll support .
In these cases , analysts can turn to such demographic data as age , race and location to assess which candidates an individual might support .
Some modeling firms even use consumer data to predict how someone will vote .
Ryan ’ s latest figures show that 16 % of people who have voted so far have no general or primary election history , and nearly 29 % have no primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voted in past general elections but not in primaries .
Voters who have never voted in a primary election are poised to be the largest group of voters , Ryan found .
This year , an edge in early voting could make all the difference .
Murray said his sense is that as turnout grows , it creates a disadvantage for Republicans as they “ exhaust their base.
” Ryan said Democrats could be at an advantage when it comes to campaign strategy , as their base has already voted and they can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans will be “ waging a battle on two fronts : contacting independents and making sure the Republican base ends up voting.
” Democrats have poured money into Texas in the election ’ s final days as polls have tightened .
Even as the Biden campaign hasn ’ t devoted much money to Texas , New York businessman Michael Bloomberg said Tuesday that he is spending about $ 1 million a day in the campaign ’ s last week on statewide advertising for the man who was briefly his rival for the Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s running mate , campaigned Friday in Fort Worth , McAllen and Houston , urging voters to keep up enthusiasm through Election Day .
It was her first trip to Texas as the vice presidential candidate .
Biden hasn ’ t visited Texas during the general election campaign , and Trump hasn ’ t stopped in the state since the summer .
His absence from the state also could be a sign of Republican confidence .
An average of recent Texas polls , as calculated by RealClear Politics , show Trump ahead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within the margin of error of most surveys .
The latest poll , from the University of Massachusetts Lowell released Thursday , showed Trump ahead by 1 point , 48 % to Biden ’ s 47 % .
`` My sense of the state is right now , it ’ s extremely close , '' said Murray .
The Democratic consultant added , `` I think the state is a toss-up at this point . ''

Madlin Mekelburg and Nicole Cobler, Austin American-Statesman

Texas smashed early-voting records. Which party will benefit?
Show Caption Hide Caption Early voter turnout breaks records, leads to long lines in many states The surge in voting has led to hours long wait times in states, like Georgia and Wisconsin, that have in-person early voting. USA TODAY
With a record number of ballots cast during the early-voting period in Texas, candidates, strategists and political analysts were poring over the numbers, looking for clues as to which way the state might go on Election Day.
Roughly 57% of registered voters in the state voted early as of Saturday, shattering previous turnout records with one day of voting ahead. The 9.6 million Texans voting early was a 47% increase from the number of early voters in the 2016 general election. About 735,000 more people voted early this year in Texas than voted in the entire 2016 presidential election, including on Election Day.
For decades, general-election turnout in Texas has been among the lowest in the country as most statewide contests have been foregone conclusions. The last time a Democrat won statewide office was in 1996, and the last Democratic presidential candidate to carry Texas was Jimmy Carter in 1976.
But this year is different, at least according to Democrats who are optimistic that the surge in early voting signals greater numbers of Democrats turning out to the polls, raising the possibility of Democratic victories up and down the ballot. In addition to the state’s 38 electoral votes, control of the Texas House is at stake. And Democrats are targeting several GOP-held congressional seats anchored in the suburbs of the state’s biggest cities, including four in the Austin area.
Republicans look at the numbers and see a different story: a close election, but one that will return statewide GOP candidates to office and deliver Texas to the Republican column in the presidential race.
Recent polling has shown President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden running neck-and-neck in Texas, and the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, a leading election forecasting site, on Wednesday moved the state from "lean Republican" to "toss up."
Early voting was more popular than ever in large cities and suburban areas where Republicans lost ground in 2018. In Travis County, more than half a million voters cast ballots during early voting and mail-in voting, more than 64% of registered voters, far surpassing the vote total for the entire 2016 general election.
Although voter turnout is "extraordinarily high," Daron Shaw, a University of Texas political science professor, cautioned that the numbers alone don’t demonstrate that Texas is in play, as there are several factors to consider.
For one, Gov. Greg Abbott expanded early voting in the state by six days to alleviate crowding at polling places amid the coronavirus pandemic, creating more opportunities for Texans to cast their ballots. And the early vote as a share of the overall vote has been growing every election for years.
"With that in mind, I don’t quite know how to gauge what we’re seeing against historical precedent, because the context has changed," Shaw said. "I’m therefore suspicious of people who want to read in all sorts of partisan implications. I’m not sure what we’re looking at, in that regard."
He added, "I think sometimes we get a little too cute with the data."
'Texas is in play'
Different modeling based on data compiled from voters who have cast their ballots thus far suggests that Texas is closer to being a toss-up than it has been in recent history – the question is just how slim the margin will be, and in whose favor.
Modeling from FiveThirtyEight shows that Trump is “slightly favored” to win Texas, in 66 of 100 scenarios run by analysts at the outlet. TargetSmart, a national Democratic group, said data show "Texas is in play," and that the electorate this year is at least 2% more Democratic than the electorate in the 2018 election. That year, Sen. Ted Cruz defeated Democratic rival Beto O’Rourke by 2.6 percentage points.
In shifting the presidential race in Texas to toss-up status, Cook Political Report cited polling showing a competitive presidential contest in the state, but it cautioned that there is a level of uncertainty surrounding the state, in part because of its growing population.
"It’s also the case that we don’t have a whole lot of experience with Texas as a battleground state," wrote Amy Walter, a Cook Political Report staff writer. "Neither do national pollsters."
Crunching the numbers
Once voting starts, consultants numbers based on the number of ballots cast by mail and in-person during early voting, and voter data from past elections. Texas voters do not have to register with a political party, complicating the task of forecasting results.
Derek Ryan, a Republican consultant and data analyst in Texas, said he models voter data by matching every person who has voted so far this year against a list he maintains of all registered voters, which includes such details as age, gender, location, and in which previous elections each person cast a ballot.
Previous elections can reveal a voter’s political leanings, especially if they consistently vote in one party’s primary election. But voters can switch party primaries from one election to the next, so primary voting doesn’t always serve as an accurate prediction for how they might vote in a general election.
Ryan’s latest report, published Thursday, shows that nearly 30% of people voting early this year have a history of voting in Republican primary elections and about 23% previously voted in Democratic primaries.
In an update from his research firm, Ryan said the numbers show “voters who most recently voted in a Republican primary have about a 350,000 vote advantage over voters who most recently voted in a Democratic Primary.”
"The modeling and all that stuff that both parties use has gotten pretty sophisticated and good over the years — better each year," said Keir Murray, a Democratic consultant in Texas. "But, it still has limitations on what it can actually predict."
This year, one limitation is high turnout among first-time voters or occasional voters, making it harder to predict who they’ll support. In these cases, analysts can turn to such demographic data as age, race and location to assess which candidates an individual might support. Some modeling firms even use consumer data to predict how someone will vote.
Ryan’s latest figures show that 16% of people who have voted so far have no general or primary election history, and nearly 29% have no primary election history, meaning that they have voted in past general elections but not in primaries. Voters who have never voted in a primary election are poised to be the largest group of voters, Ryan found.
This year, an edge in early voting could make all the difference. Murray said his sense is that as turnout grows, it creates a disadvantage for Republicans as they “exhaust their base.”
Ryan said Democrats could be at an advantage when it comes to campaign strategy, as their base has already voted and they can focus their attention on independent voters. Republicans will be “waging a battle on two fronts: contacting independents and making sure the Republican base ends up voting.”
11th-hour push
Democrats have poured money into Texas in the election’s final days as polls have tightened.
Even as the Biden campaign hasn’t devoted much money to Texas, New York businessman Michael Bloomberg said Tuesday that he is spending about $1 million a day in the campaign’s last week on statewide advertising for the man who was briefly his rival for the Democratic nomination.
Sen. Kamala Harris, Biden’s running mate, campaigned Friday in Fort Worth, McAllen and Houston, urging voters to keep up enthusiasm through Election Day. It was her first trip to Texas as the vice presidential candidate.
Biden hasn’t visited Texas during the general election campaign, and Trump hasn’t stopped in the state since the summer. His absence from the state also could be a sign of Republican confidence.
An average of recent Texas polls, as calculated by RealClear Politics, show Trump ahead by 2.3 points. That gap is within the margin of error of most surveys. The latest poll, from the University of Massachusetts Lowell released Thursday, showed Trump ahead by 1 point, 48% to Biden’s 47%.
"My sense of the state is right now, it’s extremely close," said Murray. The Democratic consultant added, "I think the state is a toss-up at this point."


usatoday--2020-11-03--Federal judge strikes down GOP lawsuit attempting to discard 127,000 drive-thru votes in Texas

AUSTIN , Texas – A federal judge said Monday that he will not invalidate almost 127,000 votes cast in drive-thru lanes in Texas ' Harris County , ruling that Republican candidates and a GOP activist waited too long to challenge the legality of the innovation in voting .
In dismissing the lawsuit , U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen also said the Republicans lacked the standing to sue because their complaint — that Harris County was breaking the law — alleged a general harm that did not particularly affect them .
But even if standing were not an issue , Hanen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drive-thru votes because the plaintiffs waited too long to challenge the legality of the innovation in voting .
“ People have been voting , and to file it late last week , I find it not to be timely , ” Hanen said , adding that Harris County had announced plans for drive-thru voting months earlier .
Invalidating votes also would have been too harsh a penalty for voters who followed directions and assurances from county leaders , he said .
“ Over 120,000 people have already voted , with the vast , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relying ) on their public officials telling them this is legal , ” said Hanen , who issued his ruling from the bench because Election Day was looming .
Within hours of the ruling , the lawyer for the Republicans notified Hanen that the 5th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans will be asked to overturn his ruling .
Harris County includes Houston , and it is the largest county in Texas by population .
The judge also disagreed with arguments that drive-thru votes were illegal , noting that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether a voting machine was used in a voting booth or from the driver ’ s seat while inside a tent .
All voters had to show photo ID , sign a voting roster and follow other election rules , he said .
Hanen also said state law allowed for the use of temporary structures during early voting — including the tents drivers pulled in to so they could cast an early ballot at 10 Harris County drive-thru voting locations .
However , the judge said he would block drive-thru voting from being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that polling be conducted inside buildings on Election Day .
And , noting the almost inevitable appeal to come , Hanen ordered Harris County to keep all records and memory cards be “ just in case ” the 5th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals disagrees with his ruling after an expected appeal .
The final week in polls : Trump eats into Biden 's leads in Arizona , North Carolina , Nevada and Pennsylvania Control of the Senate hangs in the balance on Election Day : Here are key Senate races to @

Chuck Lindell, Austin American-Statesman

Federal judge strikes down GOP lawsuit attempting to discard 127,000 drive-thru votes in Texas
Show Caption Hide Caption First-time voters are going to the polls by the millions in 2020 The 2020 election is motivating first-time voters of all ages and walks of life to cast their ballots. USA TODAY
AUSTIN, Texas – A federal judge said Monday that he will not invalidate almost 127,000 votes cast in drive-thru lanes in Texas' Harris County, ruling that Republican candidates and a GOP activist waited too long to challenge the legality of the innovation in voting.
In dismissing the lawsuit, U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen also said the Republicans lacked the standing to sue because their complaint — that Harris County was breaking the law — alleged a general harm that did not particularly affect them.
But even if standing were not an issue, Hanen said he would not have tossed out drive-thru votes because the plaintiffs waited too long to challenge the legality of the innovation in voting.
“People have been voting, and to file it late last week, I find it not to be timely,” Hanen said, adding that Harris County had announced plans for drive-thru voting months earlier.
Invalidating votes also would have been too harsh a penalty for voters who followed directions and assurances from county leaders, he said.
“Over 120,000 people have already voted, with the vast, vast, vast majority of them (relying) on their public officials telling them this is legal,” said Hanen, who issued his ruling from the bench because Election Day was looming.
Within hours of the ruling, the lawyer for the Republicans notified Hanen that the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans will be asked to overturn his ruling.
Harris County includes Houston, and it is the largest county in Texas by population.
The judge also disagreed with arguments that drive-thru votes were illegal, noting that the same “terms and conditions” applied whether a voting machine was used in a voting booth or from the driver’s seat while inside a tent. All voters had to show photo ID, sign a voting roster and follow other election rules, he said.
Hanen also said state law allowed for the use of temporary structures during early voting — including the tents drivers pulled in to so they could cast an early ballot at 10 Harris County drive-thru voting locations.
However, the judge said he would block drive-thru voting from being offered on Tuesday because state law requires that polling be conducted inside buildings on Election Day.
And, noting the almost inevitable appeal to come, Hanen ordered Harris County to keep all records and memory cards be “just in case” the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals disagrees with his ruling after an expected appeal.
Follow reporter Chuck Lindell on Twitter: @chucklindell
The final week in polls: Trump eats into Biden's leads in Arizona, North Carolina, Nevada and Pennsylvania
Control of the Senate hangs in the balance on Election Day: Here are key Senate races to watch


usatoday--2020-11-03--Twitter posts warning on President Trump's election eve Supreme Court tweet

Twitter posted a warning label on an election-eve tweet from President Donald Trump on Monday , noting that his assertion that a recent Supreme Court decision could lead to problems in the election is misleading .
Trump has repeatedly slammed a Supreme Court decision last week that will allow some absentee ballots to be received after Election Day in the battleground state of Pennsylvania .
In a tweet Monday , Trump took the complaint a step farther , arguing it would prompt “ rampant ” cheating and “ violence in the streets.
” There is no evidence that either outcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was far more limited than Trump ’ s portrayal .
The 4-4 decision allowed ballots that were postmarked by Election Day – or ballots with illegible postmarks – to be received through Nov. 6 , three days after the election .
Facebook also fact-checked the president , with a label that says voting fraud is `` extremely rare . ''
As a result of a policy announced in September , the Facebook label is slapped on posts that seek to delegitimize the outcome of the election or discuss the legitimacy of voting methods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hangs in the balance on Election Day .
Here are key Senate races to watch Those ballots would be segregated from other mail ballots and the courts could revisit their validity if they prove decisive in Pennsylvania .
Minutes after Trump ’ s missive , Twitter added a warning label to the post , noting that `` some or all of the content shared in this Tweet is disputed '' and that it `` might be misleading about an election or other civic process . ''
Trump has for weeks sought to undermine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of the coronavirus pandemic and that polls indicate may benefit Democrats .
There is no evidence of widespread problems with mailed ballots and nearly 100 million Americans have cast ballots early – either by mail or in person , according to the U.S .
Elections Project .
Trump 's reference to violence comes as law enforcement agencies have braced for the possibility of unrest after the election .
But it has largely been Trump himself who has raised concerns about fraud , even as voting experts , election officials of both parties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extremely low frequency of problems with voting .
Trump has ramped up his Twitter presence as he has shuttled between Pennsylvania , Michigan , Florida and other battleground states in recent days .
More : Election Day turns into judgment day for social media : Facebook , Twitter and YouTube are on high alert In the week beginning Oct. 19 , Trump tweeted an average of 37 times a day , according to a USA TODAY analysis .
In the past seven days , by contrast , he has nearly doubled that frequency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Most of his tweets have corresponded with his campaign stops and have echoed his stump speech .
Trump blasted Democratic nominee Joe Biden ’ s desire to increase refugee admissions .
He posted videos and photos of the large crowds turning out to his last-minute rallies .
He touted his recent endorsement from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette .
“ If I don ’ t sound like a typical Washington politician , it ’ s because I ’ m NOT a politician , ” he tweeted Monday , reprising a line he has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ If I don ’ t always play by the rules of the Washington Establishment , it ’ s because I was elected to fight for YOU.
” Of course , for Trump , those fights have often played out on Twitter .
As Air Force One touched down in Kenosha , Wisconsin , for Trump ’ s fourth election eve rally , the president posted his 71st tweet of the day .
He still had one more rally , and two-and-a-half hours to go .

John Fritze and Courtney Subramanian, USA TODAY

Twitter posts warning on President Trump’s election eve Supreme Court tweet
Show Caption Hide Caption How a contentious election affects a peaceful transition of power What history has shown us about contested elections and peaceful transitions of power. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Twitter posted a warning label on an election-eve tweet from President Donald Trump on Monday, noting that his assertion that a recent Supreme Court decision could lead to problems in the election is misleading.
Trump has repeatedly slammed a Supreme Court decision last week that will allow some absentee ballots to be received after Election Day in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. In a tweet Monday, Trump took the complaint a step farther, arguing it would prompt “rampant” cheating and “violence in the streets.”
There is no evidence that either outcome is likely and the court's decision was far more limited than Trump’s portrayal. The 4-4 decision allowed ballots that were postmarked by Election Day – or ballots with illegible postmarks – to be received through Nov. 6, three days after the election.
Facebook also fact-checked the president, with a label that says voting fraud is "extremely rare." As a result of a policy announced in September, the Facebook label is slapped on posts that seek to delegitimize the outcome of the election or discuss the legitimacy of voting methods.
More: Control of the Senate hangs in the balance on Election Day. Here are key Senate races to watch
Those ballots would be segregated from other mail ballots and the courts could revisit their validity if they prove decisive in Pennsylvania.
Minutes after Trump’s missive, Twitter added a warning label to the post, noting that "some or all of the content shared in this Tweet is disputed" and that it "might be misleading about an election or other civic process."
Trump has for weeks sought to undermine confidence in mail-in voting that has surged because of the coronavirus pandemic and that polls indicate may benefit Democrats. There is no evidence of widespread problems with mailed ballots and nearly 100 million Americans have cast ballots early – either by mail or in person, according to the U.S. Elections Project.
Trump's reference to violence comes as law enforcement agencies have braced for the possibility of unrest after the election. But it has largely been Trump himself who has raised concerns about fraud, even as voting experts, election officials of both parties and the courts have pointed to an extremely low frequency of problems with voting.
Trump has ramped up his Twitter presence as he has shuttled between Pennsylvania, Michigan, Florida and other battleground states in recent days.
More: Election Day turns into judgment day for social media: Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are on high alert
In the week beginning Oct. 19, Trump tweeted an average of 37 times a day, according to a USA TODAY analysis. In the past seven days, by contrast, he has nearly doubled that frequency, to about 64 tweets per day.
Most of his tweets have corresponded with his campaign stops and have echoed his stump speech. Trump blasted Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s desire to increase refugee admissions. He posted videos and photos of the large crowds turning out to his last-minute rallies. He touted his recent endorsement from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
“If I don’t sound like a typical Washington politician, it’s because I’m NOT a politician,” he tweeted Monday, reprising a line he has been using recently on the campaign trail. “If I don’t always play by the rules of the Washington Establishment, it’s because I was elected to fight for YOU.”
Of course, for Trump, those fights have often played out on Twitter.
As Air Force One touched down in Kenosha, Wisconsin, for Trump’s fourth election eve rally, the president posted his 71st tweet of the day. He still had one more rally, and two-and-a-half hours to go.
— Contributing: Jessica Guynn


usatoday--2020-11-03--Election live updates: Donald Trump says he's not nervous: 'I've been here before'

President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Joe Biden are in the home stretch of this presidential campaign with just hours to go before Election Day on Tuesday .
Biden , running mate Kamala Harris , Trump and Vice President Mike Pence all target key battleground states Monday .
Tuesday 's election will may result in changes in Congress , where Democrats want to regain control of the Republican-led Senate and Democrats hope to expand their advantage in the House .
Meanwhile , Americans obliterated early voting records , with 93 million having already cast ballots for the general election .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the candidates make their final pushes .
President Donald Trump gave his standard stump speech during his fourth stop of the day Monday in Kenosha , Wisc.
, with one notable exception .
Aides had to switch out a faulty mic and Trump frequently complained about the size and quality of the replacement “ I don ’ t like to pay bills when people do a bad job , ” he said before relenting that he would foot the bill because the company is Kenosha-based .
“ They come from Kenosha so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill anyway , what the hell.
” The president appeared irritated by the change in his regular programming as repeatedly complained about it during his remarks .
“ Can you actually hear me ?
” he asked the crowd .
“ Because it ’ s the worst microphone I ’ ve ever used in my life.
” '' Do n't pay 'em !
Do you hear that , Johnny ? ''
Trump yelled at an aide at one point .
`` Do n't pay the damn bill , will you please ?
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Trump ramps it up on Twitter in closing days President Donald Trump embarked on a whirlwind tour of four states Monday as he made a final argument to supporters on the eve of the election .
But no argument from the president would be complete without a virtual accompaniment on the social media site that brought him to national political prominence in the first place : Twitter .
Trump has ramped up his Twitter presence as he has shuttled between Pennsylvania , Michigan , Florida and other battleground states in recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 19 , Trump tweeted an average of 37 times a day , according to a USA TODAY analysis .
In the past seven days , by contrast , he has nearly doubled that frequency , to about 64 tweets per day .
As always , some of those tweets have been controversial .
On Monday , Trump reiterated criticism of a Supreme Court decision allowing some ballots to be received after Election Day in Pennsylvania .
His tweet , which asserted without evidence that the decision could lead to “ rampant ” cheating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warning label from Twitter .
Most of his tweets have corresponded with his campaign stops and have echoed his stump speech .
Trump blasted Democratic nominee Joe Biden ’ s desire to increase refugee admissions .
He posted videos and photos of the large crowds turning out to his last-minute rallies .
He touted his recent endorsement from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette .
“ If I don ’ t sound like a typical Washington politician , it ’ s because I ’ m NOT a politician , ” he tweeted Monday , reprising a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the campaign trail .
“ If I don ’ t always play by the rules of the Washington Establishment , it ’ s because I was elected to fight for YOU.
” Of course , for Trump , those fights have often played out on Twitter .
As Air Force One touched down in Kenosha , Wisconsin , for Trump ’ s fourth election eve rally , the president posted his 71st tweet of the day .
He still had one more rally , and two-and-a-half hours to go .
The National Committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group that endorsed Trump four years ago , is encouraging its members to vote for Biden .
“ It is OK that you voted for Trump in 2016 , most conservatives did , ” the group said in a press release .
“ We wanted an outsider to rattle the system .
But he is destroying the whole building . ''
`` We do n't need a smart-pants president who knows everything including the best medicine curing COVID-19 , who empowers only his base to run over political opposition , '' the group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with empathy , integrity , and broadness capable of bringing all sides to the table to find common ground , and work together overcoming serious challenges ahead . ''
The group endorsed Jeb Bush in the 2016 primaries and has been historically supportive of Republican candidates .
Asian Americans make up 4 % of eligible voters , and are the fastest-growing electorate in the country .
Donald Trump says he 's not nervous : ' I 've been here before' President Donald Trump says he 's not nervous about Election Day , despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ ve been here before , '' Trump told reporters en route to a campaign rally in Kenosha , WIsc .
`` I think we ’ re in a much stronger position than before.
” Trump did say he was `` very concerned '' about Pennsylvania , and he again criticized the state Supreme Court for allowing election officials in that state to accept mail-in ballots for up to three days after Tuesday .
Having tweeted earlier that the court 's decision is `` dangerous '' and could `` induce violence in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s a mistake .
It allows cheating . ''
Trump also announced a possible addition to his otherwise light schedule for Election Day : He said he would `` probably '' visit his re-election headquarters in suburban Arlington , Va. As he prepared for his ninth rally in two days – and he has a tenth later Monday in Grand Rapids , Mich. – Trump said : `` It ’ s been an amazing day , an amazing two days.
” Former RNC Communications Director who worked during Trump administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ryan Mahoney tweeted on Monday that he voted for Biden , showing a picture of his ballot .
“ Proud to vote country over party , ” he tweeted .
Mahoney served as the communications director for two years during the Trump administration , from 2017 to 2019 .
He joins a long list of prominent Republicans who have publicly supported Biden over their party ’ s incumbent .
Biden campaigns says 'no scenario ' for Trump to win race on election night The Joe Biden campaign Monday pushed back at any attempts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victory on election night before all votes are counted and said they “ aren ’ t worried ” about Trump ’ s threat to dispatch lawyers to Pennsylvania .
`` Under no scenario will Donald Trump be declared a victor on election night , '' Biden campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon said during a Zoom press briefing .
Even if Trump sweeps three battleground states in the South – Florida , Georgia and North Carolina – expected to have their results finalized earlier , she said , the president would still be short @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely need to win one or even two of three Midwest states , Michigan , Wisconsin and Pennsylvania , that could take several days to count their massive volume of absentee ballots .
“ We know those states , in particular , are coming in a little later , but we think we ’ re going to win those states , ” O ’ Malley Dillon said .
“ That is our clearest path to victory.
” Michigan and Pennsylvania do not allow the processing of absentee ballots to begin until Election Day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ O ’ Malley recalled Pennsylvania wasn ’ t called for Trump until around 1:30 a.m. in the 2016 election .
She said she expects it to “ probably be later than that ” this year .
“ When Donald Trump says that ballots counted after midnight should be invalidated , he 's just making that up , ” she said .
“ Basically there is no historical precedent that any of our elections have ever run and been counted and completely verified on election night . ''
Trump has denied a report in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if he is ahead in Pennsylvania and enough other states on Election Day , even if the counting of mail-in ballots is ongoing .
But he ’ s said it would be unfair for Pennsylvania and other states to count ballots after Tuesday , as they plan to do .
`` As soon as that election 's over , we ’ re going in with our lawyers , '' Trump told reporters Sunday , referring to Pennsylvania .
Bob Bauer , senior adviser for the Biden campaign and former White House counsel for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fully prepared for any legal hijinks of one kind or another '' but `` are n't worried about it . ''
More : Democrats led early voting after Trump 's attacks on mail-in ballots .
Now Trump needs to dominate Election Day Biden holds a lead among ballots cast heading into Election Day , both nationally and in battleground states , because of mail-in voting that heavily favored the former vice president .
O ’ Malley Dillon said Biden has votes from 53 % of people who have voted so far in North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 53 % in Arizona , heading into Tuesday .
To win those states , she said Trump would need 62 % of the in-person Election Day votes cast in North Carolina , 61.5 % in Wisconsin and 60 % in Arizona .
“ It is certainly not impossible , ” she said .
“ But it important to say that we come into Election Day with a significant advantage.
” Poll : Biden up 5 in Fla. , 4 in Ohio and 11 nationally The final 2020 election poll from Quinnipiac University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11-point advantage nationally over President Donald Trump among likely voters , 50 % -39 % .
The survey also found Biden with a 47 % -42 % lead among likely voters in Florida , a state that would almost ensure a Biden victory if the Democratic candidate is able to flip it .
`` Florida , Florida , Florida .
There is some confidence that the votes will be counted in time to declare a winner Tuesday night .
As the hottest summer in years lingers , both sides sweat out a final @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's way , could make the rest of the vote count all but irrelevant , '' said Quinnipiac analyst Tim Malloy .
Quinnipiac had more potential bad news for Trump in Ohio , which no Republican has ever won the White House without , finding Biden up 47 % -43 % among likely voters in the Buckeye State .
`` In a state that 's picked the winner of every presidential race since 1964 , Ohio is a close race on the eve of Election Day 2020 .
Donald Trump easily won the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some ground in the final stretch to Joe Biden , '' said Quinnipiac analyst Mary Snow The polls were conducted from Oct. 28-Nov .
The margin of error nationally was 2.5 percentage points ; for Florida it was 2.4 points and for Ohio it was 2.6 .
President Donald Trump , who has threatened legal action against Pennsylvania 's plans to count mail-in ballots after Election Day , again attacked the idea during his rally Monday in the Keystone State .
`` Make sure your governor does n't cheat , '' Trump told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ International Airport , referring to Pennsylvania 's Democratic governor , Tom Wolf .
Wolf and other state officials said Trump is the one trying to cheat by blocking votes from people who want to mail ballots because of concern about the COVID-19 pandemic .
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court , citing voter protections in the state constitution , recently ruled that election officials can count mailed ballots that are received in the three days after Election Day on Tuesday .
During his rally at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton airport – part of a four-state tour on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court 's decision as a `` very dangerous situation , and I mean , dangerous physically . ''
His attacks came a day after Trump said he has lawyers poised to take action in Pennsylvania and elsewhere .
`` As soon as that election 's over , we ’ re going in with our lawyers , '' Trump told reporters before a campaign rally in North Carolina .
Trump , who narrowly won Pennsylvania four years ago , probably has to win the state this week if he is to prevail over Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other states , Trump is expected to do well with voters who cast their ballots on Election Day itself ; Biden is expected to pick up support as mail-in ballots are counted in the days going forward .
State officials said that 's the reason Trump wants to stop the counting of mail-in votes , and they have lawyers ready to defeat any legal challenge .
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said Sunday on Twitter that `` our elections are over when all the votes are counted . ''
Citing previous legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Trump : `` But if your lawyers want to try us , we ’ d be happy to defeat you in court one more time . ''
President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden traded insults Monday in the final hours of campaigning before Election Day .
Both campaigns find themselves focusing their efforts on key swing states – Wisconsin , Michigan , North Carolina and Pennsylvania among them – in the final days of the campaign .
The contests could determine the outcome of the presidential election .
“ Tomorrow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidency that has divided this nation , ” Biden told supporters in Cleveland , before heading to several events in Pennsylvania .
“ Tomorrow we can put an end to a presidency that has failed to protect this nation .
Tomorrow we can put an end to a presidency that has fanned the flames of hate across this nation.
” Trump repeated his complaints about Biden , 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton , the investigation into Russian interference in that campaign and polls during a rally in Fayetteville , North Carolina .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media , I wouldn ’ t be here , ” said Trump .
“ It ’ s the only way I could defend myself.
” Biden planned to finish the day with a rally in Pittsburgh with Lady Gaga .
Trump was headed to Avoca , Pennsylvania ; Traverse City , Michigan ; Kenosha , Wisconsin ; and Grand Rapids , Michigan , before returning to the White House after midnight .
President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden traded insults Monday on the second-to-last day of campaigning .
“ Tomorrow we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has divided this nation , ” Biden told supporters in Cleveland , before heading to several events in Pennsylvania .
“ Tomorrow we can put an end to a presidency that has failed to protect this nation .
Tomorrow we can put an end to a presidency that has fanned the flames of hate across this nation.
” Trump repeated his complaints about Biden , 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton , the investigation into Russian interference in that campaign and polls during a rally in Fayetteville , N.C. “ If I didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wouldn ’ t be here , ” said Trump , who called the Russia probe “ fake news.
” “ It ’ s the only way I could defend myself.
” Biden planned to finish the day with a rally in Pittsburgh with Lady Gaga .
Trump was headed to Avoca , Pa. ; Traverse City , Mich. ; Kenosha , Wisconsin ; and Grand Rapids , Michigan , before returning to the White House after midnight .
Some Pennsylvania counties wo n't count mail ballots until after Tuesday At least five counties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and mail-in ballots on election night and will wait until the next day to do so .
Cumberland County in central Pennsylvania issued a news release saying it plans to start counting the mail-in and absentee ballots at 9 a.m. EST Wednesday .
On Election Day , the county will focus on the smooth operation of its polling places .
`` Due to available resources and the COVID-19 pandemic , this will allow the county to give equal weight to in-person and mail-in and absentee ballots , '' the release states . '
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Some Pennsylvania counties wo n't count mail ballots until after Nov. 3 President Donald Trump began his last day of campaigning Monday with a false tweet about an FBI investigation into Trump supporters surrounding a Joe Biden campaign bus in Texas .
A caravan of vehicles displaying Trump campaign flags and signs swarmed the Biden bus between San Antonio and Austin on Friday .
Democrats on board , who said the Trump vehicles tried to slow down the bus and even run if off the road , contacted authorities .
Retweeting a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump said `` this story is FALSE . ''
But that is not true .
An FBI spokesperson said the incident was being investigated , and declined to elaborate .
Election 2020 : FBI says it 's reviewing Biden bus swarmed by 'Trump train ' caravan , contrary to Trump tweet Echoing a tweet he issued Sunday , Trump also said his supporters `` did nothing wrong .
But the ANTIFA Anarchists , Rioters and Looters , who have caused so much harm and destruction in Democrat run cities , are being seriously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence that the FBI is investigating `` anarchists . ''
Poll finds Biden with 5-7 point lead in Pennsylvania , depending on turnout Democratic nominee Joe Biden leads President Donald Trump in the critical state of Pennsylvania heading into Election Day , according to the final Monmouth University poll on the 2020 race in the Keystone State .
In a model reflecting high voter turnout , the survey found Biden leading Trump 51 % -44 % among likely voters in states .
If turnout is low , the model showed Biden ahead 50 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Trump is that those numbers reflect an improvement for him from a Monmouth poll last month .
That poll found Biden ahead among likely Pennsylvania voters 11 % and 8 % in high and low turnout scenarios , respectively .
Both candidates have visited the state multiple times in the final days of the campaign .
`` Pennsylvania voters may have responded more than most to key events , such as the conventions and the debates .
This potential for movement is one reason why both campaigns have spent so much time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute .
The survey was conducted from Wednesday to Sunday , with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points .
Forecaster shifts outlook on House races as Democrats poised to expand majority The nonpartisan analysts at the Cook Political Report shifted eight House races towards Democrats Monday morning and forecast a net gain of about 10-15 seats for House Democrats in this year 's elections .
Three of the eight races are in Texas , though President Donald Trump won those suburban districts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump in 2016 are in New Jersey , one outside of New York City and another in the Philadelphia suburbs .
Democrats won a majority in the House of Representatives in 2018 , and the chamber is currently split 232-197 between Democrats and Republicans .
President Donald Trump has repeatedly predicted Republicans would win the House .
Asked in a USA TODAY/Suffolk poll from Oct. 23 to Oct. 27 whether they would vote for a Democrat or Republican in Congress , voters gave Democrats a 10-point lead , with 49 % of voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican .
Control of the Senate , on the other hand , is still a toss-up between both parties .
How will the lack of COVID stimulus affect the election ?
Voters watched with anticipation for months as congressional leaders and the White House bickered over another coronavirus stimulus package , one they hoped would provide another round of $ 1,200 stimulus checks and a more generous weekly unemployment payment to help weather the global pandemic .
But a deal never materialized even as millions found themselves unemployed , COVID-19 case totals climbed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after President Donald Trump pulled out of negotiations and then reversed course .
Republicans similarly said Democrats were responsible for refusing to cut down the size of their package .
The merry-go-round of negotiations , filled with moments of hope then dismay as both sides deadlocked , played out as voters made decisions on who they would back in the election .
Polling shows voters have COVID-19 and the economy at the top of mind , ranking them as the top two issues in a recent USA TODAY/Suffolk poll .
And political experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TODAY the bickering could hurt both parties , including the president , as the dysfunction in Washington feeds into an anti-incumbent narratives .
Here 's what we know about how the lack of stimulus is playing out in the election .
COVID stimulus : Democrats , White House spent months bickering over a coronavirus stimulus bill that never happened .
Will it affect voters at the ballot box ?
President Donald Trump 's last full day of campaigning Monday carries him to five rallies in four important states , and probably wo n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day itself .
The president travels to North Carolina , Pennsylvania , Wisconsin and Michigan , including two rallies in that last state .
He is scheduled to return to the White House at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday .
As for Monday 's schedule , polls in Michigan and Wisconsin show Trump trailing Democratic challenger Joe Biden by healthy margins .
Things are closer in North Carolina and Pennsylvania , both of which Trump probably needs to win if he is to prevail over Biden in the Electoral College .
`` We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporters during another marathon day of campaigning on Sunday in Michigan , Iowa , North Carolina , Georgia and Florida .
Trump 's stops Monday include Kenosha , Wisconsin , the site of civil unrest after a police killing of a Black man in August .
The final rally , just before midnight Monday , is in Grand Rapids , Michigan , the same city where Trump ended his presidential campaign in 2016 .
As of now , Trump is scheduled to spend Election Day itself at the White House .
The swing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these 6 states on Election Day .
Here 's what we know .
Voting in the 2020 election comes to a close Tuesday , nine months after the first primary ballots were cast in the Iowa Caucuses , but not before voters in several states get one more day to add to the already record-shattering early vote totals .
According to the U.S. Election Project , more than 93 million Americans have already cast their ballots ahead of Election Day on Tuesday , about 68 % of the entire turnout in the 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chance the end of the voting wo n't mean the end of the election battle between President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger , Joe Biden , if the result is n't clear as Tuesday 's vote count draws to a close .
Though ballots are counted after Election Day in every election – particularly mailed-in or absentee ballots – Trump has insisted the final tally must be in on Tuesday .
Stimulus : Democrats , White House spent months bickering over a coronavirus stimulus bill that never happened .
Will it affect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday , Trump said it was n't `` fair '' that voters would likely have to wait on the result in Pennsylvania as mailed-in ballots were counted , and his senior campaign adviser Jason Miller baselessly implied any change to the count after Election Day constituted an attempt to `` steal '' the election .
`` As soon as that election 's over , we 're going in with our lawyers , '' Trump told reporters while discussing the possibility of a prolonged vote count in Pennsylvania .
Trump 's and Miller 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preparing to declare victory if he appeared ahead on election night , before all the presumably Democratic-friendly mailed votes were counted .
Where are the candidates ?
President Donald Trump has another long day on the campaign trail Monday with stops planned in North Carolina , Michigan , Wisconsin and Pennsylvania .
Vice President Mike Pence is slated to appear in Erie , Pennsylvania , at 2 p.m. Democratic nominee Joe Biden , his running mate , Kamala Harris , and their spouses are slated to `` barnstorm Pennsylvania and fan out across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Biden will visit Pittsburgh and Harris will head to Philadelphia , the campaign said .
Biden is also scheduled to stop in Cleveland , as polls indicate a tight race in Ohio , a state Trump won by more than 8 percentage points in 2016 .
'Clear but unspoken preference ' : As America votes , the world is watching with bated breath • More than 93 million Americans have cast their ballots in early voting , shattering previous records .
The number represents about 68 % of all the ballots cast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the University of Florida professor behind the U.S .
Elections Project , for months has been estimating that 150 million people will vote .
But he has upped the ante in recent days , predicting a total turnout rate of 160.2 million votes , or a roughly 67 % turnout rate .
• The Texas Supreme Court on Sunday rejected a GOP bid to toss out almost 127,000 votes cast in drive-thru lanes in the emerging Democratic stronghold of Harris County .
A federal judge will hold an emergency hearing Monday morning – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Election Day .
• The final Detroit Free Press poll of 2020 finds Trump down 7 percentage points , 41 % -48 % , to Biden in Michigan .
And St .
Cloud State University 's Annual Fall Statewide Survey finds Trump down 15 points to Biden in Minnesota .

William Cummings, Joey Garrison, David Jackson and Bart Jansen, USA TODAY

Election live updates: Donald Trump says he's not nervous: 'I've been here before'
Show Caption Hide Caption First-time voters are going to the polls by the millions in 2020 The 2020 election is motivating first-time voters of all ages and walks of life to cast their ballots. USA TODAY
President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Joe Biden are in the home stretch of this presidential campaign with just hours to go before Election Day on Tuesday. Biden, running mate Kamala Harris, Trump and Vice President Mike Pence all target key battleground states Monday. Tuesday's election will may result in changes in Congress, where Democrats want to regain control of the Republican-led Senate and Democrats hope to expand their advantage in the House. Meanwhile, Americans obliterated early voting records, with 93 million having already cast ballots for the general election.
Refresh this blog all day for updates as the candidates make their final pushes.
President Donald Trump is seeking to recreate some of the magic from 2016 by making a final campaign stop of the election in Grand Rapids, Mich., the same battleground where he closed his successful campaign four years ago.
"This was our final night prior to a very, very big victory," Trump reminded the raucous crowd just after midnight. "We’re going to have another beautiful victory tomorrow."
Back on Nov. 8, 2016, after taking the stage at 12:30 a.m., a tired-sounding Trump spoke for only 34 minutes and urged his backers to turn out the vote. In the years since, he has frequently credited that rally with his narrow victory in the state, part of the so-called “blue wall” that came tumbling down around Democrat Hillary Clinton.
Trump, hosting his fifth rally of the day, was joined on stage Monday by Vice President Mike Pence, who has also been crisscrossing the country in the final weeks for the campaign. Democrat nominee Joe Biden has a single digit lead in Michigan, according to the RealClearPolitics average of recent polls in the state.
After a whirlwind, two-day campaign swing, Trump is set to return to Washington early Tuesday morning, visit his re-election headquarters in suburban Arlington, Va., and then head to the White House.
“I kept saying, we have to finish off here,” Trump told his supporters, predicting another upset win. “We can be a little bit superstitious, right?”
— David Jackson, Courtney Subramanian and John Fritze
Are lower advance voting totals in some swing states a troubling sign?
With more than 98 million ballots can already, the Washington Post poses an interesting question: Who is left to vote?
Texas, Montana and Hawaii have already passed their 2016 vote totals, but some of the most important swing states were lagging behind. In Pennsylvania, turnout was only about 40% as of Monday. Michigan and Ohio were both at 60%.
Then there is the issue of absentee ballots that weren't returned. Officials are hoping that the millions of those and mail-in ballots that weren't returned are a sign that voters have simply decided to show up at the polls in person rather than sitting out the election.
Twitter labels Trump tweet on Pennsylvania voting as misleading
President Donald Trump drew another warning label from Twitter after it deemed a tweet about a Supreme Court decision on absentee ballots to possibly be misleading.
Trump had tweeted on election eve that the decision could lead to “rampant” cheating and “violence in the streets.
Trump has blasted the decision by the court that allows some absentee ballots received after election day to be counted up to three days after the election.
–John Fritze and Courtney Subramanian
President Donald Trump gave his standard stump speech during his fourth stop of the day Monday in Kenosha, Wisconsin, with one notable exception.
Microphone troubles.
Aides had to switch out a faulty mic and Trump frequently complained about the size and quality of the replacement
“I don’t like to pay bills when people do a bad job,” he said before relenting that he would foot the bill because the company is Kenosha-based. “They come from Kenosha so I’m going to pay the bill anyway, what the hell.”
The president appeared irritated by the change in his regular programming as repeatedly complained about it during his remarks.
“Can you actually hear me?” he asked the crowd. “Because it’s the worst microphone I’ve ever used in my life.”
"Don't pay 'em! Do you hear that, Johnny?" Trump yelled at an aide at one point. "Don't pay the damn bill, will you please? A piece of garbage, they gave me."
— David Jackson and Courtney Subramanian
President Donald Trump embarked on a whirlwind tour of four states Monday as he made a final argument to supporters on the eve of the election.
But no argument from the president would be complete without a virtual accompaniment on the social media site that brought him to national political prominence in the first place: Twitter.
Trump has ramped up his Twitter presence as he has shuttled between Pennsylvania, Michigan, Florida and other battleground states in recent days.
In the week beginning Oct. 19, Trump tweeted an average of 37 times a day, according to a USA TODAY analysis. In the past seven days, by contrast, he has nearly doubled that frequency, to about 64 tweets per day.
As always, some of those tweets have been controversial. On Monday, Trump reiterated criticism of a Supreme Court decision allowing some ballots to be received after Election Day in Pennsylvania. His tweet, which asserted without evidence that the decision could lead to “rampant” cheating and “violence,” triggered a warning label from Twitter.
Most of his tweets have corresponded with his campaign stops and have echoed his stump speech. Trump blasted Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s desire to increase refugee admissions. He posted videos and photos of the large crowds turning out to his last-minute rallies. He touted his recent endorsement from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
“If I don’t sound like a typical Washington politician, it’s because I’m NOT a politician,” he tweeted Monday, reprising a line he has been using recently on the campaign trail. “If I don’t always play by the rules of the Washington Establishment, it’s because I was elected to fight for YOU.”
Of course, for Trump, those fights have often played out on Twitter.
As Air Force One touched down in Kenosha, Wisconsin, for Trump’s fourth election eve rally, the president posted his 71st tweet of the day. He still had one more rally, and two-and-a-half hours to go.
— John Fritze and Courtney Subramanian
The National Committee of Asian American Republicans, a GOP group that endorsed Trump four years ago, is encouraging its members to vote for Biden.
“It is OK that you voted for Trump in 2016, most conservatives did,” the group said in a press release. “We wanted an outsider to rattle the system. But he is destroying the whole building."
"We don't need a smart-pants president who knows everything including the best medicine curing COVID-19, who empowers only his base to run over political opposition," the group wrote. "We need a president with empathy, integrity, and broadness capable of bringing all sides to the table to find common ground, and work together overcoming serious challenges ahead."
The group endorsed Jeb Bush in the 2016 primaries and has been historically supportive of Republican candidates.
Asian Americans make up 4% of eligible voters, and are the fastest-growing electorate in the country.
--Savannah Behrmann
President Donald Trump says he's not nervous about Election Day, despite his underdog status.
"Well, I’ve been here before," Trump told reporters en route to a campaign rally in Kenosha, WIsc. "I think we’re in a much stronger position than before.”
Trump did say he was "very concerned" about Pennsylvania, and he again criticized the state Supreme Court for allowing election officials in that state to accept mail-in ballots for up to three days after Tuesday.
Having tweeted earlier that the court's decision is "dangerous" and could "induce violence in the streets, Trump told reporters: “It’s a mistake. It allows cheating."
Trump also announced a possible addition to his otherwise light schedule for Election Day: He said he would "probably" visit his re-election headquarters in suburban Arlington, Va.
As he prepared for his ninth rally in two days – and he has a tenth later Monday in Grand Rapids, Mich. – Trump said: "It’s been an amazing day, an amazing two days.”
– Courtney Subramanian, David Jackson
Former RNC communications director Ryan Mahoney tweeted on Monday that he voted for Biden, showing a picture of his ballot.
“Proud to vote country over party,” he tweeted.
Proud to vote country over party
Proud to vote for @JoeBiden pic.twitter.com/jK0DKaeI52 — Ryan Mahoney (@rcmahoney) November 2, 2020
Mahoney served as the communications director for two years during the Trump administration, from 2017 to 2019.
He joins a long list of prominent Republicans who have publicly supported Biden over their party’s incumbent.
— Savannah Behrmann
The Joe Biden campaign Monday pushed back at any attempts of President Donald Trump to prematurely claim victory on election night before all votes are counted and said they “aren’t worried” about Trump’s threat to dispatch lawyers to Pennsylvania.
"Under no scenario will Donald Trump be declared a victor on election night," Biden campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon said during a Zoom press briefing.
Even if Trump sweeps three battleground states in the South – Florida, Georgia and North Carolina – expected to have their results finalized earlier, she said, the president would still be short of 270 electoral votes. He would likely need to win one or even two of three Midwest states, Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, that could take several days to count their massive volume of absentee ballots.
“We know those states, in particular, are coming in a little later, but we think we’re going to win those states,” O’Malley Dillon said. “That is our clearest path to victory.”
Michigan and Pennsylvania do not allow the processing of absentee ballots to begin until Election Day, while Michigan started only Monday. O’Malley recalled Pennsylvania wasn’t called for Trump until around 1:30 a.m. in the 2016 election. She said she expects it to “probably be later than that” this year.
“When Donald Trump says that ballots counted after midnight should be invalidated, he's just making that up,” she said. “Basically there is no historical precedent that any of our elections have ever run and been counted and completely verified on election night."
Trump has denied a report in Axios that he planned to declare victory if he is ahead in Pennsylvania and enough other states on Election Day, even if the counting of mail-in ballots is ongoing. But he’s said it would be unfair for Pennsylvania and other states to count ballots after Tuesday, as they plan to do.
"As soon as that election's over, we’re going in with our lawyers," Trump told reporters Sunday, referring to Pennsylvania.
Bob Bauer, senior adviser for the Biden campaign and former White House counsel for Barack Obama, said they are "fully prepared for any legal hijinks of one kind or another" but "aren't worried about it."
More: Democrats led early voting after Trump's attacks on mail-in ballots. Now Trump needs to dominate Election Day
Biden holds a lead among ballots cast heading into Election Day, both nationally and in battleground states, because of mail-in voting that heavily favored the former vice president.
O’Malley Dillon said Biden has votes from 53% of people who have voted so far in North Carolina, 58% in Wisconsin, and 53% in Arizona, heading into Tuesday. To win those states, she said Trump would need 62% of the in-person Election Day votes cast in North Carolina, 61.5% in Wisconsin and 60% in Arizona.
“It is certainly not impossible,” she said. “But it important to say that we come into Election Day with a significant advantage.”
— Joey Garrison
The final 2020 election poll from Quinnipiac University finds Democratic nominee Joe Biden with an 11-point advantage nationally over President Donald Trump among likely voters, 50%-39%.
The survey also found Biden with a 47%-42% lead among likely voters in Florida, a state that would almost ensure a Biden victory if the Democratic candidate is able to flip it.
"Florida, Florida, Florida. There is some confidence that the votes will be counted in time to declare a winner Tuesday night. As the hottest summer in years lingers, both sides sweat out a final tally that, if it goes Biden's way, could make the rest of the vote count all but irrelevant," said Quinnipiac analyst Tim Malloy.
Quinnipiac had more potential bad news for Trump in Ohio, which no Republican has ever won the White House without, finding Biden up 47%-43% among likely voters in the Buckeye State.
"In a state that's picked the winner of every presidential race since 1964, Ohio is a close race on the eve of Election Day 2020. Donald Trump easily won the state in 2016, but is losing some ground in the final stretch to Joe Biden," said Quinnipiac analyst Mary Snow
The polls were conducted from Oct. 28-Nov . The margin of error nationally was 2.5 percentage points; for Florida it was 2.4 points and for Ohio it was 2.6.
— William Cummings
President Donald Trump, who has threatened legal action against Pennsylvania's plans to count mail-in ballots after Election Day, again attacked the idea during his rally Monday in the Keystone State.
"Make sure your governor doesn't cheat," Trump told supporters during a rally at Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport, referring to Pennsylvania's Democratic governor, Tom Wolf.
Wolf and other state officials said Trump is the one trying to cheat by blocking votes from people who want to mail ballots because of concern about the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court, citing voter protections in the state constitution, recently ruled that election officials can count mailed ballots that are received in the three days after Election Day on Tuesday.
During his rally at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton airport – part of a four-state tour on Monday – Trump blasted the Pennsylvania high court's decision as a "very dangerous situation, and I mean, dangerous physically." His attacks came a day after Trump said he has lawyers poised to take action in Pennsylvania and elsewhere.
"As soon as that election's over, we’re going in with our lawyers," Trump told reporters before a campaign rally in North Carolina.
Trump, who narrowly won Pennsylvania four years ago, probably has to win the state this week if he is to prevail over Democratic challenger Joe Biden.
In Pennsylvania, and other states, Trump is expected to do well with voters who cast their ballots on Election Day itself; Biden is expected to pick up support as mail-in ballots are counted in the days going forward.
State officials said that's the reason Trump wants to stop the counting of mail-in votes, and they have lawyers ready to defeat any legal challenge.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said Sunday on Twitter that "our elections are over when all the votes are counted."
Citing previous legal victories over the Republicans, Shapiro tweeted at Trump: "But if your lawyers want to try us, we’d be happy to defeat you in court one more time."
— Courtney Subramanian, David Jackson
President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden traded insults Monday in the final hours of campaigning before Election Day.
Both campaigns find themselves focusing their efforts on key swing states – Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina and Pennsylvania among them – in the final days of the campaign. The contests could determine the outcome of the presidential election.
“Tomorrow we can put an end to a presidency that has divided this nation,” Biden told supporters in Cleveland, before heading to several events in Pennsylvania. “Tomorrow we can put an end to a presidency that has failed to protect this nation. Tomorrow we can put an end to a presidency that has fanned the flames of hate across this nation.”
Trump repeated his complaints about Biden, 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, the investigation into Russian interference in that campaign and polls during a rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
“If I didn’t have social media, I wouldn’t be here,” said Trump. “It’s the only way I could defend myself.”
Biden planned to finish the day with a rally in Pittsburgh with Lady Gaga. Trump was headed to Avoca, Pennsylvania; Traverse City, Michigan; Kenosha, Wisconsin; and Grand Rapids, Michigan, before returning to the White House after midnight.
– Bart Jansen
President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden traded insults Monday on the second-to-last day of campaigning.
“Tomorrow we can put an end to a presidency that has divided this nation,” Biden told supporters in Cleveland, before heading to several events in Pennsylvania. “Tomorrow we can put an end to a presidency that has failed to protect this nation. Tomorrow we can put an end to a presidency that has fanned the flames of hate across this nation.”
Trump repeated his complaints about Biden, 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, the investigation into Russian interference in that campaign and polls during a rally in Fayetteville, N.C.
“If I didn’t have social media, I wouldn’t be here,” said Trump, who called the Russia probe “fake news.” “It’s the only way I could defend myself.”
Biden planned to finish the day with a rally in Pittsburgh with Lady Gaga. Trump was headed to Avoca, Pa.; Traverse City, Mich.; Kenosha, Wisconsin; and Grand Rapids, Michigan, before returning to the White House after midnight.
--Bart Jansen
At least five counties in Pennsylvania will not be counting absentee and mail-in ballots on election night and will wait until the next day to do so.
Cumberland County in central Pennsylvania issued a news release saying it plans to start counting the mail-in and absentee ballots at 9 a.m. EST Wednesday. On Election Day, the county will focus on the smooth operation of its polling places.
"Due to available resources and the COVID-19 pandemic, this will allow the county to give equal weight to in-person and mail-in and absentee ballots," the release states.
– Teresa Boeckel (York Daily Record)
'I'm not working all night': Some Pennsylvania counties won't count mail ballots until after Nov. 3
President Donald Trump began his last day of campaigning Monday with a false tweet about an FBI investigation into Trump supporters surrounding a Joe Biden campaign bus in Texas.
A caravan of vehicles displaying Trump campaign flags and signs swarmed the Biden bus between San Antonio and Austin on Friday. Democrats on board, who said the Trump vehicles tried to slow down the bus and even run if off the road, contacted authorities.
Retweeting a CNN report about the FBI investigation, Trump said "this story is FALSE." But that is not true. An FBI spokesperson said the incident was being investigated, and declined to elaborate.
Election 2020: FBI says it's reviewing Biden bus swarmed by 'Trump train' caravan, contrary to Trump tweet
Echoing a tweet he issued Sunday, Trump also said his supporters "did nothing wrong. But the ANTIFA Anarchists, Rioters and Looters, who have caused so much harm and destruction in Democrat run cities, are being seriously looked at!"
There is no evidence that the FBI is investigating "anarchists."
– David Jackson
Election 2020: These gay voters are backing Trump. Here’s why.
Democratic nominee Joe Biden leads President Donald Trump in the critical state of Pennsylvania heading into Election Day, according to the final Monmouth University poll on the 2020 race in the Keystone State.
In a model reflecting high voter turnout, the survey found Biden leading Trump 51%-44% among likely voters in states. If turnout is low, the model showed Biden ahead 50%-45%.
The silver lining for Trump is that those numbers reflect an improvement for him from a Monmouth poll last month. That poll found Biden ahead among likely Pennsylvania voters 11% and 8% in high and low turnout scenarios, respectively.
Both candidates have visited the state multiple times in the final days of the campaign.
"Pennsylvania voters may have responded more than most to key events, such as the conventions and the debates. This potential for movement is one reason why both campaigns have spent so much time there,” said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute.
The survey was conducted from Wednesday to Sunday, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.
– William Cummings
The nonpartisan analysts at the Cook Political Report shifted eight House races towards Democrats Monday morning and forecast a net gain of about 10-15 seats for House Democrats in this year's elections.
Three of the eight races are in Texas, though President Donald Trump won those suburban districts in 2016. Another two won by Trump in 2016 are in New Jersey, one outside of New York City and another in the Philadelphia suburbs.
Democrats won a majority in the House of Representatives in 2018, and the chamber is currently split 232-197 between Democrats and Republicans. President Donald Trump has repeatedly predicted Republicans would win the House. Asked in a USA TODAY/Suffolk poll from Oct. 23 to Oct. 27 whether they would vote for a Democrat or Republican in Congress, voters gave Democrats a 10-point lead, with 49% of voters picking a Democrat and 39% a Republican. Control of the Senate, on the other hand, is still a toss-up between both parties.
– Nicholas Wu
Voters watched with anticipation for months as congressional leaders and the White House bickered over another coronavirus stimulus package, one they hoped would provide another round of $1,200 stimulus checks and a more generous weekly unemployment payment to help weather the global pandemic.
But a deal never materialized even as millions found themselves unemployed, COVID-19 case totals climbed and benefits expired. Democrats faulted Republicans after President Donald Trump pulled out of negotiations and then reversed course. Republicans similarly said Democrats were responsible for refusing to cut down the size of their package. The merry-go-round of negotiations, filled with moments of hope then dismay as both sides deadlocked, played out as voters made decisions on who they would back in the election.
Polling shows voters have COVID-19 and the economy at the top of mind, ranking them as the top two issues in a recent USA TODAY/Suffolk poll. And political experts and analysts from both parties told USA TODAY the bickering could hurt both parties, including the president, as the dysfunction in Washington feeds into an anti-incumbent narratives.
Here's what we know about how the lack of stimulus is playing out in the election.
– Nicholas Wu and Christal Hayes
COVID stimulus: Democrats, White House spent months bickering over a coronavirus stimulus bill that never happened. Will it affect voters at the ballot box?
President Donald Trump's last full day of campaigning Monday carries him to five rallies in four important states, and probably won't end until the wee hours of Election Day itself.
The president travels to North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan, including two rallies in that last state. He is scheduled to return to the White House at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday.
As for Monday's schedule, polls in Michigan and Wisconsin show Trump trailing Democratic challenger Joe Biden by healthy margins. Things are closer in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, both of which Trump probably needs to win if he is to prevail over Biden in the Electoral College.
"We’re doing tremendous numbers," Trump told reporters during another marathon day of campaigning on Sunday in Michigan, Iowa, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida.
Trump's stops Monday include Kenosha, Wisconsin, the site of civil unrest after a police killing of a Black man in August.
The final rally, just before midnight Monday, is in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the same city where Trump ended his presidential campaign in 2016.
As of now, Trump is scheduled to spend Election Day itself at the White House.
– Courtney Subramanian and David Jackson
The swing states: All eyes will be on these 6 states on Election Day. Here's what we know.
Voting in the 2020 election comes to a close Tuesday, nine months after the first primary ballots were cast in the Iowa Caucuses, but not before voters in several states get one more day to add to the already record-shattering early vote totals.
According to the U.S. Election Project, more than 93 million Americans have already cast their ballots ahead of Election Day on Tuesday, about 68% of the entire turnout in the 2016 election.
But there is a good chance the end of the voting won't mean the end of the election battle between President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, if the result isn't clear as Tuesday's vote count draws to a close.
Though ballots are counted after Election Day in every election – particularly mailed-in or absentee ballots – Trump has insisted the final tally must be in on Tuesday.
Stimulus: Democrats, White House spent months bickering over a coronavirus stimulus bill that never happened. Will it affect voters at the ballot box?
On Sunday, Trump said it wasn't "fair" that voters would likely have to wait on the result in Pennsylvania as mailed-in ballots were counted, and his senior campaign adviser Jason Miller baselessly implied any change to the count after Election Day constituted an attempt to "steal" the election.
"As soon as that election's over, we're going in with our lawyers," Trump told reporters while discussing the possibility of a prolonged vote count in Pennsylvania.
Trump's and Miller's comments came amid speculation that Trump was preparing to declare victory if he appeared ahead on election night, before all the presumably Democratic-friendly mailed votes were counted.
– William Cummings
President Donald Trump has another long day on the campaign trail Monday with stops planned in North Carolina, Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
Vice President Mike Pence is slated to appear in Erie, Pennsylvania, at 2 p.m.
Democratic nominee Joe Biden, his running mate, Kamala Harris, and their spouses are slated to "barnstorm Pennsylvania and fan out across all four corners of the state." Biden will visit Pittsburgh and Harris will head to Philadelphia, the campaign said.
Biden is also scheduled to stop in Cleveland, as polls indicate a tight race in Ohio, a state Trump won by more than 8 percentage points in 2016.
'Clear but unspoken preference': As America votes, the world is watching with bated breath


usatoday--2020-11-02--Actor Eddie Hassell, 30, who appeared in 'The Kids Are All Right,' shot and killed in Texas

Actor Eddie Hassell , who appeared in the 2010 Oscar-nominated film “ The Kids Are All Right ” and the NBC series “ Surface , ” was shot and killed Sunday in Texas .
He was 30 .
Grand Prairie police officers responded to a report of the shooting around 1:50 a.m. Sunday morning , according to Public Information Officer Chelsea Kretz .
They found Hassell suffering from apparent gunshot wounds and transported him to an area hospital , where he was pronounced dead .
Kretz said the motive is under investigation , but detectives confirm a car was taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hassell played Clay in `` Kids , '' which starred Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo , and Phil in the sci-fi series `` Surface , '' alongside Lake Bell and Leighton Meester .
`` Rest In Peace , Eddie , '' Ruffalo tweeted Monday after hearing the news .
`` More senseless gun violence .
It ’ s a plague on our nation .
This should not be our reality . ''
According to IMDb , Hassell 's most recent role was as a waiter in the 2017 film `` Oh Lucy !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hassell 's representatives for more information .

Actor Eddie Hassell, 30, who appeared in 'The Kids Are All Right,' shot and killed in Texas
Show Caption Hide Caption Eddie Hassell: 'The Kids Are All Right' actor found dead in Texas Actor Eddie Hassell, who appeared in the 2010 Oscar-nominated film “The Kids Are All Right,” was found by police shot and killed in Texas. USA TODAY
Actor Eddie Hassell, who appeared in the 2010 Oscar-nominated film “The Kids Are All Right” and the NBC series “Surface,” was shot and killed Sunday in Texas. He was 30.
Grand Prairie police officers responded to a report of the shooting around 1:50 a.m. Sunday morning, according to Public Information Officer Chelsea Kretz. They found Hassell suffering from apparent gunshot wounds and transported him to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Kretz said the motive is under investigation, but detectives confirm a car was taken from the scene and later recovered.
Hassell played Clay in "Kids," which starred Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo, and Phil in the sci-fi series "Surface," alongside Lake Bell and Leighton Meester.
"Rest In Peace, Eddie," Ruffalo tweeted Monday after hearing the news. "More senseless gun violence. It’s a plague on our nation. This should not be our reality."
According to IMDb, Hassell's most recent role was as a waiter in the 2017 film "Oh Lucy!"
USA TODAY has reached out to Hassell's representatives for more information.


usatoday--2020-11-03--Donald Trump followers chant 'LeBron James sucks' against Lakers star at Pennsylvania rally

Making a last pitch to voters in the hotly contested swing state of Pennsylvania , President Donald Trump on Monday spoke at a rally about Los Angeles Lakers player LeBron James , leading to the crowd in attendance chanting against the NBA star .
`` How about basketball ? ''
Trump asked while segueing into a tangent about NBA television ratings at a rally in Avoca , Pennsylvania .
`` How about LeBron ?
I felt badly for LeBron , very badly .
Down 71 % and that 's with the championship .
I did n't watch one shot .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , back , forth .
You know why ?
When they do n't respect our country , when they do n't respect our flag , nobody wants to watch . ''
James , the most recognizable player in the NBA , led the Lakers to their 17th championship last month .
`` And the NFL is down , '' Trump continued , still on the topic of TV ratings .
`` The NFL is way down .
You got ta stand for our flag .
You got ta really be great to our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you do n't do that , we 're not watching . ''
At that point , the crowd assembled repeatedly started chanting `` LeBron James sucks . ''
James has been publicly outspoken against Trump and famously called him a `` bum '' on Twitter in September 2017 , after Trump criticized Warriors guard Steph Curry over declining a trip to the White House after Golden State won that year 's NBA Finals .
In another tweet earlier that year , James said that Trump made hate `` fashionable again '' in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democratic Presidential nominee , former Vice President Joe Biden , but has pledged to fight voter suppression and encouraged registration and turnout efforts through an organization he is helping lead , `` More Than a Vote . ''
James won his fourth NBA Finals and Finals MVP award when Los Angeles toppled the Miami Heat , 4-2 .

Donald Trump followers chant 'LeBron James sucks' against Lakers star at Pennsylvania rally
Show Caption Hide Caption Why this NBA title is the most impressive one yet for Lakers, LeBron SportsPulse: The Lakers and LeBron are back on top. LA gets their 17th. LeBron get his 4th. Both should look at this championship for what it is- arguably their most impressive feat yet. SportsPulse, USA TODAY
Making a last pitch to voters in the hotly contested swing state of Pennsylvania, President Donald Trump on Monday spoke at a rally about Los Angeles Lakers player LeBron James, leading to the crowd in attendance chanting against the NBA star.
"How about basketball?" Trump asked while segueing into a tangent about NBA television ratings at a rally in Avoca, Pennsylvania. "How about LeBron? I felt badly for LeBron, very badly. Down 71% and that's with the championship. I didn't watch one shot. I get bored. Back, forth, back, forth. You know why? When they don't respect our country, when they don't respect our flag, nobody wants to watch."
James, the most recognizable player in the NBA, led the Lakers to their 17th championship last month.
"And the NFL is down," Trump continued, still on the topic of TV ratings. "The NFL is way down. You gotta stand for our flag. You gotta really be great to our flag and to our anthem and if you don't do that, we're not watching."
At that point, the crowd assembled repeatedly started chanting "LeBron James sucks."
"LeBron James sucks!" chants at the Trump rally pic.twitter.com/XbSZrhn961 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 2, 2020
James has been publicly outspoken against Trump and famously called him a "bum" on Twitter in September 2017, after Trump criticized Warriors guard Steph Curry over declining a trip to the White House after Golden State won that year's NBA Finals.
U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain't going! So therefore ain't no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up! — LeBron James (@KingJames) September 23, 2017
In another tweet earlier that year, James said that Trump made hate "fashionable again" in the United States. James has not endorsed the Democratic Presidential nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden, but has pledged to fight voter suppression and encouraged registration and turnout efforts through an organization he is helping lead, "More Than a Vote."
James won his fourth NBA Finals and Finals MVP award when Los Angeles toppled the Miami Heat, 4-2.