It’s said that every presidential election makes history. Perhaps. But while some are destined to be included in the history books, others become the subject of books all of their own.
Put 2024 down to get a whole shelf at the library.
Will Americans choose to return Donald Trump to the White House, electing a former president to a new term for only the second time — and picking for the first time a convicted felon to sit behind the Resolute Desk? Or will voters decide Kamala Harris ought to be the nation’s first woman to take up office in the Oval Office, a candidate who didn’t win a single primary yet landed at the top of her party’s ticket by acclamation.
No matter who America chooses, Trump and Harris will make history this Election Day. (Or a few days later.)
Here’s where each presidential candidate stands on key issues:
Abortion
Abortion rights, always a polarizing issue in American politics, became an electoral tinderbox in 2022 after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision to create a federal right to abortion access.
Your guide to the presidential candidates’ views on abortion
Foreign policy
Their views of the world, and how to handle its troubles and challenges, paint a sharp contrast between Harris and Trump.
Your guide to the presidential candidates’ views on foreign policy
Health care
Medicare. Drug costs. The fate of the Affordable Care Act. Health care — and who would handle it best — has continued to be contested turf in the final weeks of the presidential campaign. Polls show that Americans have ranked health care costs high on the agenda for national leaders.
Your guide to the presidential candidates’ views on health care
Housing
With would-be first-time homebuyers struggling to afford a mortgage and tens of millions of tenants across the country facing high rents, housing affordability is becoming prominent in a U.S. presidential campaign for the first time in decades.
Immigration
Trump has called for rapid and historic deportations of millions of immigrants who are in the country illegally. Harris once supported decriminalizing illegal border crossings, but has shifted her position significantly.
Your guide to the presidential candidates’ views on immigration
Student loans
As president, Harris would likely champion student loan relief and free community college. Trump would likely restrict or dismantle loan forgiveness and promote access to non-traditional degrees.
Harris v. Trump on student loans: Where the candidates stand
Tax policy
Though sparse on details, the broad outlines of what Harris and former Trump want to do on taxes are clear — and they are very different.
Your guide to the presidential candidates’ views on tax policy
Contributing: Associated Press, Los Angeles Times, NerdWallet
