MICHIGAN — With polls tightening across the country, and in key battle ground states, both campaigns appear not to be taking Michigan for granted as they fight to secure last minute voter support ahead of next Tuesday.
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton announced she plans to return to Detroit on Friday to get out the vote to supporters. It will mark her third stop to the Motor City since winning the nomination in July. Time and location details have not yet been announced.
Clinton’s campaign stop follows her GOP opponent Donald Trump, who made campaign stops in Grand Rapids and Warren on Monday. The appearances marked his sixth in Michigan since winning the party nomination.
Trump’s three children will also be making appearances of their own on behalf of their father throughout the week.
Donald Jr. will rally supporters at Grand Valley State University and Kent GOP headquarters on Wednesday. Ivanka plans to appear in suburban Detroit while her brother Eric will stump in the state on Friday. Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Trump’s running mate, will be in Portage on Thursday afternoon.
On the other side of the aisle, Sen. Bernie Sanders will stump for Clinton in Kalamazoo on the campus of Western Michigan University on Wednesday before heading to Traverse City.
Both Chelsea Clinton and Clinton’s running mate Tim Kaine appeared in the state over the weekend, while Trump surrogate Ben Carson met with supporters and campaign volunteers in Grand Rapids.
- Upcoming visits and ticket information:
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Gov. Mike Pence — Portage, Air Zoo, 3:30 p.m. info here
- Friday
- Hillary Clinton — Detroit, time/location TBD
- Eric Trump — time/location TBD
The visits come as both campaigns are ramping up efforts and spending more ad money in states like Michigan, according to their respective campaigns.
Reportedly, the Clinton campaign is making a six-figure ad buy in Michigan. The move is part of an effort targeting Michigan, New Mexico and Virginia. On Tuesday, Trump’s campaign announced a $25 million ad buy in seven states, including Michigan, which the campaign said was being added to its list of “aggressive battleground states.”
Trump’s campaign manager Kellyanne Conway told CNN on Monday the campaign was aiming to turn some blue states—specifically Michigan—toward the Republican nominee because they’re “up for grabs.” During Trump’s Monday rally in Metro Detroit, he told the crowd his internally polling showed the race in Michigan was a “dead heat.”
Current polling averages in Michigan show Clinton leading Trump by roughly 4 points, according to Real Clear Politics, compared to an average 11 point lead Clinton held over Trump just a few weeks prior.
The Trump campaign is attributing the shift in polls to the onslaught release of hacked WikiLeak emails stolen from the Clinton campaign since October, and FBI Director James Comey’s surprise Friday announcement the bureau is examining additional e-mails that could potentially be connected to the investigation involving Clinton’s private email server. The emails were found on the computer of former New York Congressman Anthony Weiner—the estranged husband of top Clinton aide Huma Abedin— who is under investigation for allegedly texting lewd pictures to an underage teen.
