Chicago’s returning to normal now that Democratic National Convention is over, but the race for the White House is just getting heated up. 

Both presidential candidates are hitting the campaign trail hard. 

The Republican ticket of former President Donald Trump and running mate Ohio Senator J.D. Vance is set to visit several swing states this week. While the Democratic team of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is going on a bus tour of Georgia. 

Both conventions set out with a goal of telling the “American Story.” 

The Republican National Convention featured several speakers with military backgrounds. Trump even made a point to mention the Revolutionary War, World War II and the Civil War — calling on the strength of the nation and remembering past times of American greatness. Whereas the DNC had a stronger focus on a new and different future. Members of the audience frequently chanted the phrase “We are not going back!”

Now that both candidates have officially accepted their party’s nomination and have been properly introduced to the American people, a potential presidential debate is in the near future. 

“Absolutely they need to debate. You see that Vice President Harris is clear on her desire and willingness to debate,” said Karen Freeman-Wilson, president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League. “I think former President Trump has balked on debates, and that would be the hallmark of transparency, to have a debate, to have questions asked by reporters, to have the parties engage in a meaningful conversation about policy issues.” 

The Trump campaign suggests they may back out of the debate scheduled for Sept. 10. Harris and Trump are currently arguing over whether the microphones should be muted. Trump took to his social media platform Sunday night with claims that the ABC network is biased. 

“Well, I think at least from the Republican side, we just want to make sure that we have a very fair opportunity to make our point across. And I think the rules in how this debate is going to happen are going to be pinnacle,” said Aaron Del Mar, co-chair of the Illinois Republican Party. “And I think it will happen. I think there might be some posturing going on right now, but I think it will happen on Sept. 10.” 

In the meantime, both parties are making equal efforts in encouraging voters to get out to the polls. The Chicago Urban League, a nonpartisan organization, has a 100 day plan to help drive up voter education and registration. 

“We believe that it's our duty to put the issues front and center of all voters and to get them to the polls. And that's really what our 100 day plan is about. Do you have a plan to vote?  Because there are a lot of people who don't think it really matters to them,” said Freeman-Wilson. 

Several members of activist groups across the country have made claims of withholding their vote for this election for numerous reasons. Both candidates have strategies in place to appeal to swing states and the undecided margin. 

“We’re going to be doing a ballot chase program that we’re going to have here in Illinois. Our concentration is going to be on state rep races,” said Del Mar. “There’s about six or seven that we’ve identified that we feel that we can pick up and try to make Illinois a two party system.”

The Illinois Republican Party might have their work cut out for them considering several former Republican Trump supporters have now joined the Harris-Walz ticket. Some of the notable speakers at the DNC were former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Ducan, former Trump White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham, and former Illinois GOP congressman Adam Kinzinger. 

“I think former congressman Kinzinger has his own agenda and what he wants to do,” said Del Mar. “More importantly, if you look at RFK Jr. taking himself out of the swing state election for a presidential office, and then going in endorsing Trump, when you have a history of that strong Democratic family and that background, and seeing him join kind of our side of the aisle, I think that needs to be recognized.”

The current polls are showing a close race especially in the swing states. It’s yet to be determined if Robert Kennedy Jr. pulling his name from the ballot in the swing states could have a positive or negative effect on the Trump campaign. Kennedy has frequently promoted false conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“I think it's a nonissue. His own family has disavowed him, and at the end of the day, people want to hear about what are you going to do to make my life better?  And who’s willing to put people over party, and I think that’s what you heard at the DNC, that this has really little to do with party and everything to do with people,” said Freeman-Wilson.