Morning all. I’m writing today’s diary entry from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania’s capital, where we are stopping overnight before heading out west.
We’ve spent a lot of today over the past day or so talking with Latino voters – a voting bloc with an increasing amount of power in this part of the country, with more than a million people identifying as Hispanic in Pennsylvania alone.
The growing 'Latino belt'
Latin American voters have been in the spotlight these last couple of days, after comedian Tony Hinchcliffe made pretty disparaging jokes about Puerto Rico and Latinos.
There has also been a lot of talk about whether this might cost the Republicans votes.
But how important is the Latino vote? Well, I was invited by Eddie Moran, the Puerto Rican mayor of Reading, Pennsylvania, to find out.

"A lot of emphasis has been on the Latino vote — that's why this part of the state has been important of both parties trying to seek that turnout of the Latino vote which is going to determine the outcome of the election," he said.
He took us on a walk through downtown Reading, taking us to local restaurants and businesses (turns out he is a bit of a local celebrity as we were constantly stopped in the street) to chat about all things politics.
Many were acutely aware of the "garbage" comment. "That is extremely demeaning and disrespectful and for a candidate of a presidency to accept that,” said Moran, "it's definitely going to have an impact. I have seen that in the last couple of days.”
Check out our interview, plus our interviews with the local Republican Donald Trump volunteers in my latest piece for TVNZ+
Harris' election night plans
It’s been reported that Kamala Harris will hold her election night party in the nation’s capital, Washington DC, at her alma mater Howard University. She graduated from there in 1986.
Joe Biden’s plan when he was still the Democratic nominee was to hold an election night event in his home state of Delaware.
The vice president of the past four years reminded voters of the dangers Donald Trump posed to democracy. (Source: 1News)
The Trump campaign is yet to announce where they will spend election night — but many here expect him to be at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida.
1News will be at both camps on election night bringing you all the latest.
Republican president’s daughter campaigns for Harris
Before Donald Trump, the last Republican president was George W Bush. But his daughter is out door-knocking for the Democratic candidate this past weekend.
"It was inspiring to join friends and meet voters with the Harris-Walz campaign in Pennsylvania this weekend," she told People Magazine.
"I’m hopeful they'll move our country forward and protect women’s rights."
Seventy-eight-year-old George W Bush has not publicly spoken in support of any candidate in this election.
His vice president, Dick Cheney, has, however, endorsed Kamala Harris.
Follow all the latest from the US Election with 1News.co.nz and watch in-depth coverage on TVNZ+
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