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In less than a week, the highly anticipated 2024 U.S. Presidential Election will see Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump vying for the nation's top office. With early voting already underway and over 48 million ballots cast, national polls reveal a fiercely competitive race. FiveThirtyEight's latest averages show Harris with a narrow 1.4-point lead over Trump, but this gap has significantly closed in recent weeks, putting the candidates in a virtual tie.

The election looks to be one of the closest in decades, as neither candidate has secured a decisive lead in pivotal battleground states. States such as Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Nevada show polls within a margin of just 2 percent separating the two competitors. As a result, nearly 100 electoral votes remain too close to call, emphasizing the crucial role of swing states in determining the outcome.

A noteworthy development in the race is the shifting support among black men under 50. Recent polling by the NAACP indicates that support for Harris among this demographic has increased from 51 percent to 59 percent, while Trump's support has decreased from 27 percent to 21 percent. However, the overall support for Harris among black voters remains at 73 percent, a decline from the 90 percent who supported Biden in 2020 and the 93 percent who supported Obama in 2008.

The Emerson College poll reinforces the tight race, with Harris just slightly ahead of Trump in various surveys. Yet, Trump is leading by +2 points in a HarrisX poll, marking his first lead since July. Meanwhile, another poll from The Washington Post/Schar School of 5,000 registered voters shows a close split, with Harris at 49 percent and Trump at 48 percent.

In addition to the closely contested presidential race, Senate elections are drawing significant attention. Internal polling memos leaked to Politico reveal that Republicans are behind in key Senate races in states such as Arizona, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The competitive nature of these races echoes the uncertainty of the presidential election, prompting both parties to pour substantial resources into their campaigns.

As election day approaches, concerns about potential contestation of results are rampant. A CNN/SSRS poll suggests that 69 percent of respondents believe Trump may not accept the election outcome if he loses, adding another layer of tension to this already high-stakes contest. Both candidates' support bases are solidifying, but the ultimate winner remains in question, hinging on the decisions made by millions of undecided and swing state voters in the coming days.