Former President Donald Trump urged his female supporters to encourage their husbands to get off the couch and vote for him during the early days of the election campaign. Speaking at a rally in Detroit, Trump jokingly suggested women should motivate their “fat pig” husbands to prevent him from losing to Vice President Kamala Harris. Early voting was starting in Detroit, and Trump wanted to ensure his supporters got out to vote in the key swing state of Michigan before it was expanded to the rest of the state. Despite previously criticizing Detroit, Trump described it as having “great potential” during his rally.
Trump’s remarks about motivating female supporters’ husbands to vote have garnered criticism from his opponents online. Some have interpreted his comments as a sign of concern that his supporters may not turn out to vote in the upcoming election. The race in Michigan is still tight, with Harris holding a slight lead over Trump in the state according to forecasting and polling data. Harris’s path to victory in November relies on winning key swing states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Trump, on the other hand, could secure a win by flipping Michigan and winning other swing states in the Sun Belt.
In 2020, President Joe Biden narrowly defeated Trump in Michigan, but Trump had previously won the state over Hillary Clinton in 2016. The state’s significance in the election is highlighted by Trump’s focus on motivating his supporters to vote early and make their voices heard. Throughout his rally in Detroit, Trump emphasized the importance of early voting and urged attendees to bring their friends and family to vote for him. Despite his controversial remarks, Trump’s campaign team has not publicly responded to the criticism surrounding his suggestions to female supporters.
As the election approaches, both Trump and Harris are focusing on pivotal states like Michigan to secure their paths to victory. For Trump, winning Michigan could be a key factor in securing the election by flipping key swing states to his favor. Meanwhile, Harris aims to build on her lead in Michigan and other swing states to secure a path to victory in November. The tight race in Michigan underscores the importance of voter turnout and early voting in determining the outcome of the election, with both candidates working to rally their supporters and address the concerns of undecided voters in the state.