On Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris hosted her first rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, kicking off her campaign as the Democratic presidential candidate. “Wisconsin is a must-stop on the road to the White House,” she told the cheering crowd. “We are counting on you to win in Wisconsin.”
Harris highlighted her career as a prosecutor and her commitment to supporting the middle class, passing gun control laws, and ensuring Congress passes legislation protecting abortion rights. She emphasized uniting the Democratic Party to “win the U.S. election in November.”
“This campaign involves two different visions for our country, one focused on the future and the other on the past,” Harris said. “We believe in a future where everyone has the opportunity to not just get by, but to get ahead. In this future, no child will grow up in poverty, every worker will have the freedom to join a union, and everyone will have access to affordable healthcare, childcare, and paid family leave.”
Within two days of President Biden’s withdrawal from the race, Harris secured crucial support from Democratic leaders, garnered enough delegate support, and formed a campaign team to go up against Trump and Wans in November.
High-ranking Democratic officials, including President Biden, rallied around Harris to support her as the new Democratic nominee. Delegations from several states confirmed their support for Harris, including Texas and her home state of California.
According to The Epoch Times’ survey of Democratic delegates, as of Monday night, Harris had garnered support from at least 2,574 delegates, surpassing the 1,976 votes she needed to win in the first round of voting at the Democratic National Convention.
However, these delegates must finalize their votes before the convention. Only after that can Harris be officially named the Democratic nominee.
Harris also received support from Democratic elites, including former President Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and former Speaker of the House Pelosi. Within the first day of her campaign, she broke the 24-hour fundraising record for a U.S. presidential election.
“We’ve just had the best 24 hours of grassroots fundraising in U.S. presidential election history, showing that we are a campaign powered by the people. This means we will usher in a presidency that is community-oriented,” Harris said.
Harris stressed that if elected, supporting the middle class would be a “decisive goal,” contrasting sharply with her interpretation of Trump’s economic vision. She pledged to work with Congress to pass legislation ensuring abortion rights nationwide and promised to sign it into law if it reaches her desk.
The Vice President also said she believes in a future where “every senior can retire with dignity” and highlighted her efforts to combat financial interest groups while serving as California Attorney General, laying the groundwork for the campaign in the coming months.
“Friends, we have 105 days until election day, and we have some work to do in that time, but we are not afraid of hard work. We love working hard, don’t we? We will win this election,” she said.
Harris thanked President Biden for his support following his announcement of withdrawal on Sunday. “I know we are all very, very grateful for his continued service to the country, and I am honored to have President Biden’s endorsement in this campaign.”
“Biden’s achievements throughout his career and over the past three and a half years are unparalleled in modern history,” Harris said.
Choosing to kick off her campaign in Wisconsin reflects the state’s battleground status in the presidential election. In 2020, Biden won Wisconsin by less than a percentage point, while former President Trump also won the state by a similar margin in 2016.
In concluding her speech, Harris acknowledged the challenges her campaign faces on the road to victory in November. She said the campaign should focus on making phone calls, knocking on doors, and registering voters.
“Now, Wisconsin, I ask you, are you ready to start working today? Do we believe in freedom? Do we believe in opportunity? Do we believe in America’s promise? Are we ready to fight for it?” “We will win as we fight,” Harris said.