In first rally with Walz, Harris praises him as leader to help unite the nation
Washington — Vice President Kamala Harris and her new running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz made their debut as the Democratic ticket at a packed campaign rally in Philadelphia Tuesday evening.
The rally was also Harris' first appearance since the Democratic Party finalized its virtual roll call results, cementing her as its nominee. She revealed Walz as her VP choice Tuesday morning.
"I stand before you today to proudly announce I am now officially the Democratic nominee for president of the United States," Harris said, standing alongside Walz. "And so now, we have some work to do. We have to move to the general election and win that."
She quickly moved on to introduce her running mate, saying 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.
Harris contrasted her background as a girl from Oakland, California, with Walz as a boy who grew up on the plains of Nebraska.
"It's the promise of America, because only in America, only in America, is it possible for them together to make it all the way to the White House," she said.
As Walz took the stage, he said, "I'm thrilled to be on this journey with you," and he told the crowd, "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. Shapiro said earlier at the rally, "I love being your governor," and he vowed to work hard to elect Harris and Walz.
Walz, in his maiden remarks as Harris' running mate, praised the vice president, and while he noted the prosecutor's role that she and the campaign have been emphasizing, he broadened that view of her, saying, "She took on the predators, she took on the fraudsters, she took down the transnational 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."
Walz leaned into his Midwestern roots, telling the story of his childhood, his military service and the 20 years he spent as a high school social studies teacher. Walz said his former students encouraged him to first run for office, and he ran for Congress in 2006.
"I learned the art of compromise without compromising my values," Walz said of his time as a congressman. "And now as governor of the great state of Minnesota, I bring those experiences to bear in tackling the challenges that are facing our great state."
Walz also took on GOP presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump, saying that he "sees the world a little differently than us."
Walz tore into Trump, saying the former president doesn't know the first thing about service because he's "too busy serving himself." Walz said Trump weakens the economy to "strengthen his own hand." He also said crime went up during Trump's time in office, and "that's not even counting the crimes he committed," Walz quipped. The Trump campaign has blasted Walz over crime in Minnesota.
The governor said he "can't wait to debate" GOP vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, "that is, if he's willing to get off the couch and show up," Walz said.
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 kicked 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 Wednesday
- 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.