U.S. presidential election race: Meet the candidates

UNITED STATES, — The 2024 U.S. presidential election comes to a close as one of the most pivotal races in recent history, with former President Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris as the major party candidates.

Here’s what to know about each candidate:

It’s the third attempt for the executive seat for Trump, after a successful run in 2016 and a loss to current President Joe Biden in 2020. Trump is the oldest candidate to run for office, replacing Biden, at 81, following his exit from the race this summer. 

In September, Trump said during an interview with journalist Sharyl Attkisson that if he loses his bid to return to the White House in 2024 he thinks he won’t try again in 2028. 

The comment was notable both because Trump seemed to rule out a fourth bid for the White House and because he rarely admits the possibility he could legitimately lose an election. Trump normally insists that could only happen if there were widespread cheating, a false allegation he made in 2020, and he’s preemptively made again during his 2024 presidential campaign.

Trump would be 82 in 2028, a year older than Biden is now. Biden bowed out of the race in July following his disastrous debate performance and months of being hammered by Trump and other conservatives as being too old and erratic for the job.

Prior to his run for office in 2016, Trump was largely known as a businessman and real estate developer. He gained attention in the late 1970s for having numerous developments in New York and Chicago, as well as casinos in Atlantic City. Trump is also known as a media personality, appearing on a number of television shows and starring in his reality series “The Apprentice” for 13 years.

Trump is a Queens, New York native, born the fourth child of Fred Trump and Mary Anne MacLeod Trump. In 1968, he earned a Bachelor of Science in economics from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. 

Ohio Senator JD Vance is Trump’s vice presidential nominee, known for being a venture capitalist, his time served in Iraq and his blue-collar upbringing.

Vice President Kamala Harris first emerged as a presidential hopeful during the 2020 presidential primary, though she dropped out of the race early on, citing a lack of funding.  

In the moments following Biden’s decision to withdraw from the race in July, he announced he would be endorsing Harris for the presidency. Harris would have a quick, meteoric rise to the top of the Democratic ticket soon after announcing her candidacy. 

Within 24 hours of the announcement, over $81 million had been raised, a spokesperson for the Harris campaign said. By Aug. 2, Harris secured enough votes from Democratic delegates to officially be the party’s nominee for president.

If elected in November, Harris would be the first woman, Black woman and first Asian American president.

Harris is known for her interrogative questioning style, as she spent several years as a courtroom prosecutor. Harris was elected district attorney of San Francisco in 2004 and attorney general of California in 2011, becoming the first woman to hold both titles.

Born in Oakland, California, Harris is the oldest child of Shyamala and Donald J. Harris. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in political science and economics from Howard University in 1986, as well as a juris doctor from the University of California, Hastings School of Law in 1989. Harris is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is Harris’ vice presidential nominee, known for his time serving in the military, as well as being a high school football coach and six-term congressman.

WCNC Charlotte will have live election coverage of all the local and statewide elections starting at 7 p.m. on Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 5 on streaming on WCNC+, and all election results can be found by texting the word ELECTION to 704-329-3600 or going to WCNC Charlotte’s election page.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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