Who will be the next US president?

With a handful of days left to go until the US elections (November 5), both Republican and Democratic candidates are busily rallying supporters across key swing States.

Polls as of Monday afternoon suggest the race for presidency remains too close to call, with Harris narrowly edging in front at 49%, while Trump looks to be just a percentage point behind - all within the margin of error.

Election day is next Tuesday, and it remains unclear as of now when a result will be announced. Regardless, the world is watching eagerly to see who will next reside in the White House and sit in the Oval Office for the coming four year term.

“It would seem at the minute that it’s very close,” Deputy Brendan Smith told the Celt.

He outlined the “particular significance” of seven so-called ‘Swing States’- Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin, Georgia and Nevada- which have “huge votes” and indefinite sway within the US’ Electoral College system.

“My understanding is Kamala Harris remains ahead of Trump in almost all of those States at the minute,” he said.

“My recollection is that back in June when President Biden faired badly against President Trump in that debate, [Trump] was ahead of Biden in five of those seven States.

“Kamala Harris’ entrance into the race has made a difference in that respect.”

Leaving politics out of it, Deputy Smith said he “would love” to see a female president lead the United States.

“I think that’s needed and I think if Kamala Harris makes it, that she’d be a very capable president.

“She’s the first woman to achieve the office of vice president and personally I would love to see her make the office of president as well.

“I think it would be a great message to send out as well because she’s a person of colour like President Obama was.”

Concern

Deputy Smith says he is “concerned” about Mr Trump’s attitude to Russia, China and indications he would “not be as supportive” to Ukraine.

“That would be disastrous,” Deputy Smith said of the latter.

Also noted is Mr Trump’s intention to entice “investment from other countries back to the States” in order to stimulate job creation.

“He had indicated he wanted to repatriate some of the jobs, I don’t know how practical that is,” Deputy Smith said, adding that “some of his commentary would not be helpful from an Irish point of view.”

The local TD outlined “the reality” that the leader of a big country must have diplomatic skills, an understanding of foreign policy and “good diplomatic and official terms with other major partners such as the European Union”.

“All that’s essential in the interest of peace and stability throughout the world,” Deputy Smith opined. “From what Donald Trump has been saying on the campaign to date, he would not be offering that stability because he has made some wild promises and wild statements from the point of view of a person who wants to assume the most powerful position on earth.

“We couldn’t fault President Biden,” Deputy Smith maintains, reflecting on the ougoing president’s “record level” job creation and his dealing with the pandemic.

Where he does “disagree” with the American policy direction is in regard to their “very strong support” for Israel and the continuing Middle East crisis.

“They haven’t been in a position to demand a ceasefire, as far as I can see they have been too softly softly with Israel.”

On this issue, he believes President Biden’s administration has been “very disappointing”.

“Overall, there’s a very good working relationship between the European Union and the United States and between our country and the United States as well.”

‘Trump for the win’

Rooted in Cavan but living in the United States for the last 42 years, Stephen Tierney followed his two brothers to New York in 1982 when he was just 18.

The Mullahoran man was unashamedly motivated by “money”.

“We were only supposed to stay a few years but I guess that went on and on,” he says, adding how “the whole country nearly left” between 1984-1986.

Eventually six of the seven Tierney brothers crossed the Atlantic.

“Things were tough in Ireland back then,” he remembers.

The now married father of five has fixed cars in New York his “whole life”. He owns his own property in Riverdale in the Bronx, and says: “Things are, I guess I could say, pretty good.”

Leaving his family life aside, Stephen speaks about his political beliefs.

Things are heating up in New York and across the 49 other States.

Stephen’s support for Donald Trump is so great he made a grandfather clock in the tycoon’s honour in 2016.

While Donald Trump has written him a letter of thanks, Stephen has not yet had the opportunity to give the billionaire his hand-crafted, 13 foot edifice that is currently stored in Pennsylvania.

“One hundred per cent Trump’s going to win,” he confidently predicts. “They won’t even be fit to cheat to beat him this time.

“The Democrats are getting very scared, they’re going to be demolished,” he asserts. “They’re in panic mode right now.”

The attributes of Trump’s policies which Stephen admires most is his pledge of “making America great again”.

Stephen supports Trump’s rhetoric on a range of issues from gender politics to closing the “open border policy, filling your country with garbage.

“Immigration is good but they’re not the same immigrants that we were from Cavan.

“They’re not all bad don’t get me wrong, a tonne of them are good but a tonne of them are bad.”

Asked if a Republican presidency led by Trump would damage relationships between Ireland and America, Stephen responds: “Ireland’s no fan of Trump.”

Stephen though does not agree with Trump’s “policies with Israel”.

“They seem to just give Israel a free hand to do whatever they want and keep giving them more weapons, more money, more everything and there is no accountability for anything that Israel does.”

He outlines that Biden’s administration has “made us look like fools” and believes Harris “can’t say nothing without making a fool of herself.”

This Sunday (November 3) Stephen and his friends will go on a truck rally to fly the flag in support of Trump’s campaign.

“There’ll be a tonne of Cavan people and Mullahoran people on that rally,” Stephen contends.