In the U.S. presidential elections, while the economy stands out as the most important issue influencing voters, the importance of immigration has been on the rise in recent years. The record number of crossings at the Mexican border in 2023 made this issue one of the country's top priorities. Republican criticism of the Biden administration's so-called 'open border policy' has been quite effective. Actions taken by Republican-led states like Texas and Florida, such as sending migrants to Democratic states like New York and Massachusetts via buses and planes, kept the issue in the spotlight. As many small towns struggled with strained municipal services and budgets due to the influx of new migrant populations, immigration and the border crisis became key topics in the presidential elections.

The United States will go to the elections on Nov. 5, and many internal and external observers for weeks have been discussing the political positions and discourses of the two candidates, Donald Trump representing the Republicans and Kamala Harris representing the Democrats. While discussing the possibilities, observers have been taking many personal, national and international parameters into consideration. Surely, the Nov. 5 elections will certainly be a very interesting one. Although the presidential race is an internal affair of the U.S., all governments around the world will closely watch the presidential elections wondering who will become the next president of the U.S. since it is still considered the most powerful state and hegemon of the world.

What are Trump and Harris’ positions on AI? How might each of their policies influence the United States’ role in AI development and regulation on the international stage? How Should Türkiye Respond to Respective Policies?

With just two months to go before the presidential election, polls are showing a tight race. Public opinion surveys indicate that Harris maintains a steady advantage over Trump nationwide. However, since U.S. elections are often decided by swing states, it's crucial to look at polls from these regions. Nationwide, Harris is showing a 3.2% lead over Trump at the beginning of September, up from a tie in July. This suggests that Harris has managed to build on her momentum in August, but her nationwide positive trend isn't enough to open a significant gap in swing states. If the election were held today, it would be very close. The next two months could bring game-changing surprises, but debates and campaign performance in swing states will likely determine the outcome.

American politics are experiencing more activity than they have in a long time. While the political earthquake caused by President Biden's debate performance continues, his campaign's unequivocal statement of "I am absolutely not withdrawing" indicates his resistance to calls to withdraw from the race in the coming days. Details reported in the press suggest that Biden's family and close circle recommend that he continue in the race. This group, attempting to dismiss the debate performance as a mere mishap, argues that Biden has overcome past challenges and will overcome this one to defeat Trump. However, this time, the problem Biden must overcome is not external challenges but rather his own health issues, making it unlikely he can convince voters from this point onward.

The recent comments by special prosecutor Robert Hur, appointed by the US Department of Justice, describing President Biden as a 'senile, well-intentioned, elderly man' reignited the debate about Biden's age. Biden's enduring image of being elderly and lacking dynamism seems to be his biggest disadvantage in the November elections. Holding the title of the oldest sitting president in American history, Biden will break his own record as the oldest presidential candidate in the November elections. The fact that Trump, at 77, is running against the 81-year-old Biden will leave American voters with the choice of electing their oldest president. While some argue that age discrimination is unfair, Biden's advanced age has become a significant point of discussion that could influence the outcome of the election. In addition to Biden's memory issues, his controlled and brief appearances in public, contrasted with Trump's more dynamic demeanor, present a serious handicap.

In the U.S. presidential electoral campaigns, there are several critical turning points that determine the fate of the elections. The three presidential debates and the announcement of the vice presidential candidates are among the most important of these turning points. These moments are considered some of the key junctures where the presidential candidates can make some changes in their campaign trajectory. Although many scholars have asserted that the presidential elections are primarily about the presidential candidates and the candidates for vice president do not matter much, the selection process and the announcement of the vice presidential candidates generate a lot of discussions and increase the focus on the campaigns. The vice presidential candidate selection is an opportunity for the presidential campaign to put a message across to a significant group of electorates. The downside is it is a one-time shot, and the vetting and selection processes need to be carried out as thoroughly as possible in order to prevent mistakes.