WASHINGTON − What an incredible year it has been.

Who could have predicted, a year ago, that on Tuesday, voters would be casting their votes for Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, while President Joe Biden—the most popular candidate in U.S. history—would be stepping aside and preparing for retirement?

Could anyone have anticipated the assassination attempt on Trump, which narrowly missed him at a rally in heavily Republican western Pennsylvania, or the discovery of another alleged attacker who observed the former president’s Palm Beach golf course for 12 hours without being apprehended?

This year has seen its share of courtroom confrontations, extreme language, and shocking debates.

As voters prepare to head to the polls, let’s take a look at the key moments from this unprecedented and fiercely contested presidential campaign.

November 2023

November 5: Trump lashes out at the judge and prosecutors during a civil trial in New York, where he is accused of exaggerating his asset values, including the dimensions of his penthouse, to secure favorable loan terms. Recent polls indicate Trump is ahead of President Biden in five critical swing states.

Nov. 6: David Axelrod, a key strategist from the Obama campaign, suggests that Biden withdraw from the 2024 race, a recommendation that does not sit well with many.

Nov. 13: Trump refers to his opponents as “vermin,” prompting comparisons to Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini.

Nov. 16: A poll by NBC News reveals that Biden is trailing Trump among younger voters.

Nov. 17: The White House criticizes House Republicans over their attempts to impeach Biden. Despite months of noise, the inquiry eventually fizzles out.

December

December 3: Trump, who was indicted in October on federal charges for attempting to overturn his 2020 election defeat, accuses Biden of election interference due to the indictment. Trump is facing four criminal indictments.

Dec. 5: Trump announces he would act like a dictator if re-elected, “but only on Day One.”

Dec. 7: Hunter Biden is indicted on federal tax charges in California and will also face gun charges in Delaware.

Dec. 16: Trump claims immigrants in the U.S. are “poisoning the blood of our country.”

Dec. 18: Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat, expresses concern regarding Trump’s popularity in the GOP primaries.

Dec. 20: The Colorado Supreme Court removes Trump from the state’s GOP primary ballot, citing his involvement in the insurrection on January 6, 2021, and attempts to overturn his 2020 loss. This decision is later overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, along with other efforts to disqualify Trump.

Dec. 21: Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York, files for bankruptcy after a jury orders him to pay over $148 million for defaming two Georgia election workers he falsely accused of fraud in the 2020 election.

Dec. 27: Republican contender Nikki Haley neglects to mention slavery when discussing the reasons for the Civil War.

January 2024

Jan. 6: Trump urges Biden to free those imprisoned for their roles in the January 6 Capitol riot, calling them hostages.

Jan. 10: Trump, leading in polls, opts out of the final GOP debate before the Iowa Caucuses. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie drops out of the Republican primary, sounding an alarm about the threats of a second Trump term.

Jan. 15: Trump secures a victory in the Iowa Caucuses, leading Vivek Ramaswamy to exit the race.

Jan. 20: During a discussion about the U.S. Capitol’s security before the events of January 6, Trump mistakenly refers to Nikki Haley as Nancy Pelosi.

Jan. 21: Ron DeSantis, Governor of Florida, withdraws from the Republican primary race.

Jan. 23: Joe Biden clinches victory in the New Hampshire primary through a write-in strategy after being excluded from the ballot, while Donald Trump also secures a win.

February

Feb. 6: In the Nevada GOP primary, Republican voters select “None of these candidates” over Nikki Haley. Trump ultimately wins the Republican caucus, which determines delegate allocation.

Feb. 10: Special Counsel Robert Hur issues a report on President Biden’s management of classified materials, depicting him as an older man with “diminished capacities,” citing memory issues.

Feb. 12: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis provides dramatic testimony concerning her romantic involvement with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, who was appointed for Trump’s election fraud case in Georgia. Wade subsequently resigns.

Feb. 16: A civil judgment of $453.5 million is imposed on Trump for overestimating his real estate assets. Senator Manchin announces he will not pursue a third-party presidential run after some consideration.

Feb. 20: The Alabama Supreme Court rules that embryos produced through in-vitro fertilization are granted the same legal protection as children, which ignites discussions on reproductive rights campaigning.

Feb. 27: Over 100,000 Democratic voters in Michigan opt for “uncommitted” rather than supporting Joe Biden in the Democratic primary, reflecting dissatisfaction with his approach during the Israel-Hamas conflict.

March

March 5: On Super Tuesday, both Trump and Biden secure wins in several Republican and Democratic primaries—Biden ties for first place in American Samoa, whereas Trump faces a loss in Vermont.

March 6: Nikki Haley withdraws from the GOP primaries, ensuring Trump’s position as the presumptive Republican nominee. On the Democratic front, Representative Dean Phillips ends his challenge against Biden.

March 7: President Biden delivers a passionate State of the Union address that delights his supporters and unsettles Republicans.

March 17: Trump intensifies his aggressive campaign language, warning rally attendees in Ohio about the potential for a “bloodbath” should he lose the election.

March 26: Trump and country music artist Lee Greenwood begin selling Bibles featuring “God Bless the USA,” allegedly manufactured in China, at $60 each. Trump later reveals $399 gold sneakers and a $99 fragrance.

April

April 4: The nonprofit organization No Labels abandons its initiative to create a third-party “unity” ticket.

April 8: Trump states that decisions about abortion policies should be left to individual states, marking a significant shift from his previous support for a national ban after 20 weeks.

April 15: The criminal trial against Trump commences, where he faces allegations of falsifying business records to conceal hush payments made to pornographic actress Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 election.

April 23: Former Congressman George Santos ends his comeback attempt over five months after his expulsion from Congress.

April 25: Trump is identified as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Arizona election fraud scheme case.

April 27: South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem faces backlash for detailing an incident where she shot a family dog and including a fictional meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in her memoir.

May

May 5: Trump allegedly equates the Biden administration to Nazi secret police during a GOP retreat, accusing Biden of running a “Gestapo administration.”

May 6: The YSL News/Suffolk University poll shows Trump and Biden in a dead heat, each receiving 37% support from Black and Hispanic younger voters.

May 16: According to The New York Times, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito displayed flags linked to false allegations of a stolen 2020 election at two of his properties. Alito claims the flags were put up by his wife.

May 20: Democrats accuse Trump of “freezing” after he paused for 30 seconds during a speech at the NRA’s annual meeting.

May 22: Nikki Haley, who previously labeled Trump as a “disaster,” “unhinged,” and “unsafe” during the primaries, announces her support for him.

May 30: Trump is convicted on all 34 felony charges in a groundbreaking hush money trial in New York, marking the first time a former U.S. president has been found guilty of a felony.

June

June 4: Hunter Biden’s trial on federal gun charges begins, revealing details about his extensive drug use; he is convicted the following week.

June 13: The Supreme Court rejects a challenge to the abortion medication mifepristone, two years after the Roe v. Wade ruling was overturned.

June 25: Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., becomes the first member of the progressive group known as “the squad” to lose a primary contest; Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., faces a similar outcome later.

June 27: During a troubled debate with Trump, Biden falters and struggles to speak clearly, causing concern among Democrats and delight among GOP members.

June 28: Biden firmly rejects suggestions to withdraw from the race, asserting he knows “how to do this job.”

July

July 1: The Supreme Court determines that presidents cannot be criminally prosecuted for actions taken while in office, affecting a case regarding Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election. The matter is sent back to the trial judge to differentiate between official and unofficial deeds.

July 2: Following a controversy involving Kristi Noem, a new incident surfaces when a photo shows independent presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy Jr. with the remains of a dog he cooked in South Korea decades ago. Additionally, he faces allegations of sexual assault.

July 10: Democratic leaders begin to publicly call for Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race.

July 14: Trump survives an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pa., just days ahead of the Republican National Convention. The incident results in one death and injuries to two others. Striking images of a bloodied Trump raising his fist become a hallmark of his rallies.

July 15: During a lively first day of the Republican National Convention, Trump announces Senator JD Vance, R-Ohio, as his running mate, while Biden remains isolated at home in Delaware due to Covid-19.

July 17: Top Democratic lawmakers start pushing Biden to withdraw from the presidential race.

July 21: Biden steps back from the race and endorses Vice President Kamala Harris.

July 31: Trump attends the National Association of Black Journalists’ convention, reiterating claims that immigrants are taking “Black jobs,” while also questioning Harris’ ethnicity.

August

Aug. 2: Harris becomes the first Black woman and Asian American to be nominated as the presidential candidate of a major party.

Aug. 6: Harris chooses Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a former high school football coach, as her vice presidential running mate.

Aug. 19: The Democratic National Convention kicks off with Biden passing the leadership to Harris.

Aug. 23: Kennedy withdraws from his third-party presidential race and throws his support behind Trump.

Aug. 27: Special counsel Jack Smith achieves another indictment related to election interference, clarifying the distinction between Trump’s private and public conduct in light of the Supreme Court’s June verdict.

Aug. 31: The pop group ABBA requests that Trump refrain from playing their music at his campaign events.

September

Sept. 4: Former Representative Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., endorses Harris, labeling Trump as a threat to democracy. A few days later, her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, also supports Harris.

Sept. 10: In their first and only debate, Harris and Trump clash, with Trump propagating unfounded claims about Haitian migrants harming pets in Ohio. Trump ultimately chooses not to participate in further debates. Pop superstar Taylor Swift endorses Harris.

Sept. 15: Trump publicly states his dislike for Taylor Swift.

Sept. 16: An alleged assassin attempts to target Trump at his golf club in Florida but does not fire a shot. This marks the second assassination attempt on Trump in a few months.

Sept. 18: The International Brotherhood of Teamsters chooses not to endorse a candidate due to divisions among its members.

Sept. 22: Trump claims that the 2024 election will be his final campaign.

Sept. 30: Hurricane Helene hits North Carolina and Georgia, causing extensive damage. Both Trump and Harris spend several days visiting the disaster-stricken areas and engaging with voters.

October

Oct. 1: In a vice presidential debate, Vance and Walz engage in a discussion that is heavily focused on policy issues.

Oct. 3: Unsealed court documents reveal Trump’s response during the January 6 insurrection when told that Vice President Mike Pence was being evacuated from the Capitol: “Who cares?”

Oct. 5: Trump returns to the