WEST ALLIS — Vice President Kamala Harris rallied voters in battleground Wisconsin on Tuesday, her first presidential campaign event since securing enough delegate pledges for the Democratic nomination if they keep their word — and used the rally to sharply frame her race against former President Donald Trump.
Since Sunday, Harris has earned the backing of Democratic Party leaders and enough Democratic National Convention delegates to make her the nominee if they kept true to their pledges — a major milestone for the vice president.
“So Wisconsin, I am told as of this morning that we have earned the support of enough delegates to secure the Democratic nomination. And I am so very honored, and I pledge to you, I will spend the coming weeks continuing to unite our party so that we are ready to win in November,” Harris said to an energetic crowd in West Allis, Wisconsin — just outside of Milwaukee.
Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks during a campaign event, at West Allis Central High School, in West Allis, Wisconsin, on July 23, 2024.
Kevin Mohatt/Reuters
Harris attacked Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, on the issue of abortion and Project 2025, the conservative presidential transition blueprint fronted by the Heritage Foundation.
“We’ll stop Donald Trump’s extreme abortion bans because we trust women to make decisions about their own body and not have the government tell them what to do,” Harris said to raucous applause. “And when Congress passes the law to restore reproductive freedoms, as president of the United States, I will sign it into law.”
Harris, in recent weeks, has leaned into her career as a prosecutor, having served as San Francisco’s district attorney and California’s attorney general, to draw a contrast with Trump, who was convicted of 34 felony counts.
During the rally, Harris touted her previous experience while making a dig at Trump.
Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks during a campaign event at West Allis Central High School, in West Allis, Wisconsin, on July 23, 2024.
Vincent Alban/Reuters
“In those roles, I took on perpetrators of all kinds: predators who abused women, fraudsters who ripped off consumers, cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain,” she said. “So, hear me when I say, I know Donald Trump’s type.”
The comments elicited the chant of “lock him up” from the crowd — a reference to the popular “lock her up” chants from crowds at Trump’s rallies when he ran against Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Harris’ campaign chose Wisconsin — a key battleground state in the 2024 race — as the site of her first campaign event. Wisconsin hosted the Republican National Convention last week.
“Vice President Harris’s visit will highlight the choice facing Wisconsinites: between Donald Trump, the convicted felon who would drag this country backwards, and her brighter vision for the future, where our freedoms are protected and every American has a fair shot,” the campaign said in the memo.
Democratic presidential candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to supporters during a campaign rally at West Allis Central High School, on July 23, 2024, in West Allis, Wisconsin.
Jim Vondruska/Getty Images
Before taking the stage, Harris’ campaign announced that her political operation raised $100 million in just over a day since getting in the race for president after President Joe Biden announced he would bow out of the race.
The massive sum — raised by the Harris campaign, the Democratic National Committee and their joint fundraising committees — came in between Sunday afternoon and Monday evening, the campaign said. Within that time, 58,000 people signed up to volunteer, a figure that is more than 100 times their average daily sign-up rate, according to the campaign.
Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a fiery speech at her first presidential rally in Milwaukee, where she criticized former President Donald Trump and his administration’s policies. Harris, who is widely seen as a potential contender for the 2024 presidential race, wasted no time in taking aim at Trump and his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, immigration, and racial justice issues.
In her speech, Harris highlighted the failures of the Trump administration in responding to the pandemic, accusing him of downplaying the severity of the virus and failing to provide adequate support to states and local governments. She also criticized Trump’s immigration policies, including the separation of families at the border and the Muslim travel ban, calling them inhumane and un-American.
On the issue of racial justice, Harris spoke passionately about the need for police reform and accountability, citing the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other Black Americans at the hands of law enforcement. She called for systemic changes to address racial disparities in the criminal justice system and ensure that all Americans are treated fairly and equitably.
Harris’s speech was met with enthusiastic applause from the crowd, many of whom were eager to hear her vision for the future of the country. As the first woman and person of color to hold the office of Vice President, Harris has become a symbol of progress and change for many Americans.
Overall, Harris’s speech in Milwaukee was a strong start to her potential presidential campaign, showcasing her energy, passion, and commitment to addressing the pressing issues facing the country. As she continues to build her platform and connect with voters across the country, Harris is sure to be a formidable candidate in the upcoming election cycle.
