ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
Labor Day weekend marked many things - the end of summer or the start of football season and, this year, the final sprint for the presidential election. Early voting begins soon in many key states, and the first debate between Vice President Harris and former president Trump is one week from today. NPR's Stephen Fowler is here for a look at where things stand. Hi, Stephen.
STEPHEN FOWLER, BYLINE: Hey there.
SHAPIRO: So when we say this is the beginning of the end for campaign season, practically speaking, what does that mean for voters?
FOWLER: Well, it's helpful to remember, Ari, that this truly is an election season that's upon us. In fact, the first absentee by-mail ballots go out Friday in North Carolina, which is a crucial swing state that President Biden narrowly lost in 2020. It's competitive again this year. In-person early voting starts in Pennsylvania, another key state, in just less than two weeks. And while there are plenty of voters that have been super-plugged in, now's the time when many others actually start paying attention and thinking about if they'll vote and who they'll vote for. Because of that and because of how close the race seems to be in battleground states, for the campaigns, that means every day counts when it comes to having a message and sharing it.
SHAPIRO: Every day counts. So how are Trump and Harris using those days to reach voters?
FOWLER: Well, over the weekend, the Harris campaign was across multiple battlegrounds, highlighting a message around the economy and labor. Harris was in Michigan and did an event in Pennsylvania with President Biden. Her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, was in Wisconsin, but Trump and Vance were not on the campaign trail on Labor Day. They've got more on the horizon. Vance is going to Arizona this week to hammer the party's stance on immigration. Trump is doing a rally in Wisconsin Saturday, and his allies are doing events in swing states like Georgia, with surrogates discussing Trump's agenda.
SHAPIRO: And beyond the in-person events, what else are campaigns doing to push their message?
FOWLER: Well, if you're like me and live in a swing state, you cannot escape political ads on TV, online, in your mailbox, in your dreams and everywhere else you look. Republican ads have largely focused on attacking Democrats over immigration and the economy and trying to define Kamala Harris. Democrats are trying to define Harris, too, leaning into her background as a prosecutor to contrast against Trump. There's also a big disparity for now in where those ads are running. There's been almost $2 billion in TV time reserved through Election Day, including top Senate and House races. But on the presidential front, Ari, the Harris campaign has spent way more than Trump in five of the seven swing states, with Pennsylvania and Georgia being the exception. That's because the campaigns see those states as must-win, and the strategy could shift as we get closer to November.
SHAPIRO: Well, speaking of TV, we mentioned that the presidential debate is a week from today. Given that the first presidential debate ended Biden's reelection bid, what do you think this one is likely to do?
FOWLER: Well, I expect this debate to be even more watched than the first one because this is when people are tuning in. I mean, both campaigns need this debate to boost their momentum when it counts, aka when the voters are actually voting. I mean, much of this election cycle was the same old candidates and the same old issues. But now we've got an entirely different race, and this summer's debate does show that it really can have an impact.
SHAPIRO: You mentioned that you're in a swing state, Georgia. What are you looking for where you are specifically?
FOWLER: Well, other than an end to the campaign ads, I'm watching turnout. I mean, Democrats flipped both Senate seats and Georgia's White House votes in 2020 by stitching together a diverse coalition where any slight drop could make a difference. And after years of Republican infighting, the party is trying a new strategy in Georgia and other states called Trump Force 47. That's found a way to turn grassroots enthusiasm into get out the vote efforts, which, if successful, could be a model of things to come.
SHAPIRO: And we may find out two months from now. Here's hoping. NPR's Steven Fowler in Atlanta. Thanks.
FOWLER: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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