Here's what to watch in the final full week of the presidential campaign

NEW YORK -- Uncertainty reins entering nan last afloat week of nan 2024 run pinch Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump locked successful a fiercely competitory statesmanlike contest. What happens successful nan coming days will beryllium pivotal successful deciding nan winner.

Here's what we're watching this week:

U.S. statesmanlike elections are seldom shaped by overseas affairs, but nan wars successful nan Middle East are escalating astatine nan very infinitesimal that millions of voters are preparing to formed ballots.

It's still unclear really Iran would respond to Israel's unusually nationalist airstrikes crossed Iran connected Friday. The reply could determine whether nan region spirals further toward all-out warfare aliases holds dependable astatine an already devastating and destabilizing level of violence.

Iran's consequence could besides find nan grade to which nan Middle East conflict shapes nan U.S. election.

The rumor has been particularly difficult for Harris to navigate arsenic she simultaneously vows to support Israel and offers empathy for those tens of thousands of Palestinians killed by Israel's consequence to Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attacks. The Democratic vice president continues to look aggravated unit from her party's progressive base, which has been highly captious of Israel.

Trump has been unapologetically supportive of Israel, though immoderate Arab American leaders — particularly successful swing-state Michigan — person been unusually supportive of nan Republican erstwhile president, who famously banned recreation from galore Muslim countries during his first term.

Even successful a best-case scenario, nan adjacent president will inherit 1 of nan astir volatile overseas argumentation challenges successful decades.

It would beryllium an understatement to picture Democrats arsenic anxious arsenic Election Day looms. But location was a deliberate effort by Harris' elder squad complete nan play to task optimism to thief temper nan fear.

Harris elder advisor Jenn O'Malley Dillon predicted triumph connected MSNBC connected Sunday: “We are assured we’re going to triumph this thing,” she said. “We’re seeing bonzer enthusiasm. This is going to beryllium a adjacent race, and our run is precisely wherever we want to be.”

Harris will effort to alleviate Democratic worry further connected Tuesday erstwhile she delivers her “closing argument” astatine nan Ellipse, nan aforesaid spot adjacent nan White House wherever Trump said connected Jan. 6, 2021 soon earlier his supporters attacked nan Capitol.

Harris is expected to attraction her remarks connected nan threat Trump poses to U.S. democracy. She has called her Republican rival “a fascist” successful caller days. And she’s been joined by an improbable ally, Trump’s erstwhile main of unit John Kelly, who has besides described Trump arsenic a fascist recently.

But she's expected to deed broader themes arsenic well, encouraging voters to look down her astatine nan White House and ideate who will beryllium sitting astatine nan Resolute Desk astatine a infinitesimal of awesome consequence. She's aiming to thrust location nan stakes of nan Nov. 5 predetermination for undecided voters — particularly mean Republicans who whitethorn beryllium uncomfortable pinch Trump's divisive activity and utmost rhetoric. And while Harris' squad is betting that location is simply a important number of moderates who tin still beryllium persuaded, progressive Democrats are worried she's not focused capable connected economical issues successful nan campaign's closing days.

Democratic anxiety, we person learned, whitethorn beryllium a truth of life.

Even earlier nan week began, Trump's run risked being knocked disconnected people by controversy. A rally astatine New York City's Madison Square Garden precocious Sunday that was meant to service arsenic a closing connection was alternatively overshadowed by racist insults, including a comedian who called Puerto Rico a “floating land of garbage."

And pinch 8 days to spell until Election Day, history suggests Trump is virtually guaranteed to opportunity aliases do thing other arguable successful nan last stretch. The only mobility is whether it will break through.

If there's 1 point we know, it's that Trump cannot thief himself. He's been utilizing authoritarian-style rhetoric successful caller days to propose that his Democratic opponents, whom he calls “ the force within," are much vulnerable to nan federation than nan threat posed by Russia and China.

Democrats will beryllium combing done each Trump question and reply and nationalist quality for thing akin to exploit. There are besides aggregate ongoing criminal investigations into Trump, who has already been convicted of 34 felony charges, that could uncover caller information.

Yet Democrats are nan first to admit that elector opinions of Trump is truthful hardened that it would return thing genuinely stunning to alteration nan people of nan election.

There is precedent for a final-week stunner, however. Remember, it was Oct. 28, 2016 erstwhile erstwhile FBI Director James Comey sent a missive to Congress indicating that national investigators learned of caller emails pertinent to nan investigation into Hillary Clinton's usage of a backstage email server.

The candidates' evolving recreation schedules will show america overmuch astir nan battlegrounds that will matter astir connected Election Day.

Here's what we cognize for sure: Harris and Trump are aggressively competing successful conscionable 7 plaything states that will yet determine nan election. They are nan 3 alleged "Blue Wall" states — Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — successful summation to Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and North Carolina.

For a governmental perspective, however, not each 1 of nan 7 is created equal.

Harris spent Sunday successful Pennsylvania, which whitethorn beryllium nan election's biggest prize. Harris is adjacent scheduled to spell to Michigan. And aft Tuesday's closing statement successful Washington, she plans to sojourn North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin connected Wednesday alone. She heads to Nevada and Arizona connected Thursday.

What do we cognize astir Trump's schedule? He's booked to big astatine slightest 1 rally each time adjacent week: Monday successful Georgia, Tuesday successful Pennsylvania, Wednesday successful Wisconsin, Thursday successful Nevada, Friday successful Wisconsin again and Saturday successful Virginia.

But arsenic a reminder, these schedules are apt to alteration based connected nan campaigns' intelligence connected nan ground.

More than 41 cardinal votes person already been cast successful nan predetermination nationwide. Democrats mostly person an advantage successful early voting, but truthful far, astatine least, Republicans are participating astatine a overmuch higher complaint than they person successful nan past.

The question: Will it last?

Trump, of course, has for years encouraged his supporters to formed only in-person ballots connected Election Day. The believe put nan GOP astatine a important disadvantage. He mostly reversed people successful caller months arsenic he and his statement acknowledged nan evident use of being capable to slope their votes arsenic early arsenic possible.

Because of nan Republican participation, nan early turnout was breaking records past week successful plaything states specified arsenic Georgia and North Carolina.

But pinch nan GOP much focused connected “election integrity” alternatively than a accepted get-out-the-vote operation, it's unclear whether nan uptick successful Republican early voting will continue. Democrats dream it won't.

History whitethorn 1 time determine that nan astir important point Trump said successful nan closing days of nan 2024 predetermination is nan point that galore voters hardly announcement anymore: his persistent warnings that this predetermination is rigged against him.

Indeed, arsenic Election Day approaches, Trump is progressively informing his supporters that he will suffer connected Nov. 5 only if his governmental opponents cheat. Such statements person nary ground successful fact. There was nary grounds of important elector fraud successful nan 2020 election, which Trump lost, and location is nary grounds that Trump’s adversaries tin aliases will rig this predetermination against him either.

Still, Trump’s unfounded warnings make an already tense and convulsive predetermination play moreover much fraught. And location are real threats that overseas adversaries — particularly Russia, China and Iran — will meddle successful nan election.

At nan aforesaid time, nan Republican National Committee has invested tens of millions of dollars into an cognition to mobilize thousands of polling spot monitors, canvass workers and attorneys to service arsenic “election integrity” watchdogs. Democrats are worried that nan effort could lead to harassment of predetermination workers and undermine spot successful nan vote.

Both parties are aggressively preparing for agelong ineligible battles nary matter who wins.