Washington — Vice President Kamala Harris is on the campaign trail with vice presidential running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Philadelphia on Tuesday — the pair’s first rally together since she announced he would be her VP pick hours ago.
In her first remarks since the announcement and her first appearance since the Democratic Party finalized its early virtual roll call results, cementing her as its nominee for president, Harris told an enthusiastic crowd, “I stand before you today to proudly announce I am now officially the Democratic nominee for president of the United States.” Harris, standing alongside Walz, said, “And so now, we have some work to do. We have to move to the general election and win that.”
And Harris then moved quickly to introduce her running mate, and said she sought a partner “who can help build this brighter future, a leader who will help unite our nation and move us forward, a fighter for the middle class, a patriot who believes, as I do, in the extraordinary promise of America, a promise of freedom, opportunity and justice, not just for some, but for all.”
“So, Pennsylvania, I’m here today because I found such a leader: Governor Tim Walz of the great state of Minnesota,” she announced, to enthusiastic applause and chants of “Tim, Tim, Tim, Tim!”
She praised his record as governor, as a defender of abortion rights and voting rights and noted that he signed “the most significant expansion of voting rights in Minnesota in over 50 years.” She promised that together they’d pursue national legislation on both those fronts.
Harris also said Walz, with his experience as an executive, “will be ready on Day One.” That line is what President Biden said about Harris when they were running together in 2020.
As Walz took the stage, he said, “I’m thrilled to be on this journey with you, and Doug — this incredible journey — and Pennsylvania, I know you know this, but my God, what a treasure you have in Josh Shapiro,” who was a top contender for the VP spot and introduced Harris at the rally.
He praised the vice president, and while he noted the prosecutor’s role that she and the campaign have been emphasizing, he broadened that view, saying, “She took on the predators, she took on the fraudsters, she took down the trans gangs. She stood up against powerful corporate interests, and she never hesitated to reach across the aisle if it meant improving people’s lives.”
“And I want all of you to hold this and don’t ever underestimate the power of this: She does it all with a sense of joy,” he added.
Shapiro told the crowd earlier. “I love being your governor,” Shapiro said, and vowed he’ll work hard to elect Harris and Walz.
He praised Harris, whom he referred to as a friend for 20 years, as “courtroom tough,” referring to her career as a prosecutor, and said “she has a big heart, and she is battle tested and ready to go.”
Shapiro also lavished praise on Walz, whom he referred to as an outstanding governor and a great patriot, as well as a dear friend.
With 19 electoral votes, Pennsylvania has the largest allocation among battleground states and a win in the state is likely to be pivotal to winning the White House in November. In 2016, former President Donald Trump unexpectedly won the state, which had voted for the Democratic presidential candidate since 1992. President Biden took it back in 2020.
Harris and Trump are tied at 50% among likely voters in Pennsylvania, according to the latest CBS News poll. The poll, which found Harris has a 1-point edge nationally, also shows the vice president and Trump in an even race in the other six battleground states.
Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, also made a campaign stop in Philadelphia earlier Tuesday. He plans to travel to other battleground states later this week, as well.
Kamala Harris’ upcoming planned rally schedule
The Philadelphia rally kicks off Harris and Walz’s cross-country tour in seven battleground states this week. The two will be campaigning in the following cities:
- Eau Claire, Wisconsin, on Wednesday
- Detroit, Michigan, on Thursday
- Phoenix, Arizona, on Friday
- Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday.
Harris had also scheduled campaign stops in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Thursday and Savannah, Georgia, on Friday, but the events were postponed due to Tropical Storm Debby, which is forecasted to bring historic rainfall and flooding to southeastern states this week.
Melissa Quinn
contributed to this report.
