Staying strong friends with US - Angus Robertson

Democratic presidential candidate, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz

As the Democratic Convention begins, a star-studded political cast is lining up to anoint Harris and her Vice Presidential pick, Tim Walz, as their candidates for the top jobs in government, though they have been formally endorsed following Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the race.

Before Harris’s speech accepting the nomination on Thursday, Presidents Biden, Obama, and Clinton; Former Secretary of State and former First Lady, Hillary Clinton; former and current First Ladies Michelle Obama and Jill Biden; Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries; and former Speaker and party grandee, Nancy Pelosi are all set to gee up and unify the 50,000 party attendees behind their candidates.

Yet, this convention is only one notable part of what has been one of the most extraordinary presidential election campaigns in United States history. Alone, the dropping out of the race by Joe Biden, or the assassination attempt on Donald Trump would have set this campaign apart from the rest.

As we go into the final 75 days of this election, it is all to play for. Kamala Harris’ candidacy has boosted the Democrat’s chances but, in many of the key ‘swing states’, the Trump-Harris favourability is on a knife edge.

Whatever happens, as our largest foreign direct investment partner, the United States-Scotland relationship will remain strong.