Donald Trump and the Democratic candidate, Kamala Harris, crisscrossed battleground Michigan in separate visits Monday, each desperately pitching their case to critical voter blocks in a state that appears all but certain to hold the key to the presidential election. Addressing thousands of Muslims, Trump promised to put an end to war and mayhem in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Michelle Obama rallied a crowd to the side of the Democrats in a Detroit suburb as Harris outlined her vision for the state and the nation.

The state and union auto workers of Michigan are among the number of strong Arab Americans and Muslims who hope their candidate accounts for all of this foreign policy to job security in this new auto industry that is rapidly changing into electric. Voting has already begun; thus, the clock has started ticking as the messages of each candidate get into circulation in most of these states, including Michigan.

In Novi, a Detroit suburb, he spoke at a rally where, he said, he sat with local imams, and as president, he would find peace in the Middle East because, he said, many in the Muslim community would want this. “That’s all they want,” he said, promising also to turn around Detroit’s economic collapse. He can boast of supporting Israel by enthusiastically saying that he shall bring the Gaza War to an end but fails to elaborate on how this could be done. On his part, Trump, it appears, wins some Muslim Americans, who do not even think that Biden’s administration should give a free pass to the policies of Israel. He was shared on the stage with the leader of the Islamic Centre of Detroit, Imam Belal Alzuhairi, who said, “Muslims must stand with Trump ‘as he guarantees peace'”.

This midwestern state boasts 8.4 million registered voters and 15 electoral college votes, making it another swing state that may favour the said elections on election day, November 5. Michigan is among the so-called “Blue Wall” states Democrats want to capture, this time around with Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

As all that was happening, Harris took the stage in Kalamazoo to speak about her record on the most salient issues: reproductive rights, health care, and taxes. Former First Lady Michelle Obama did just that, comparing and contrasting Harris and Trump in disparate standards by which the two candidates might be judged.Obama sharply criticised Trump’s gross incompetence, stating that Harris is supposedly set to dazzle all audiences.

Urging a more precise vision from the voters, Obama said, “I hope you’ll forgive me. I’m a little frustrated that some of us are choosing to ignore Trump’s failures while asking Kamala to dazzle us at every turn.” To the undecided voters, she said they must seal their choice and vote. “Michigan’s role in helping shape this outcome is crucial.”.

There are just a few days left for the elections, and Michigan is still a hot battleground. Both candidates are trying to snatch the precious electoral votes away from that battleground.