On Wednesday, Vice President Kamala Harris rallied supporters and addressed critical issues at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg, marking her first campaign stop in central Pennsylvania for the 2024 election season.
The highly anticipated rally came just one day after Harris’ impactful speech at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., where more than 75,000 attended as the Democratic presidential candidate delivered her closing arguments ahead of next week’s election. Her visit to the Harrisburg area energized supporters, highlighting the stark contrasts between her potential presidency and another four years under former President Donald Trump.
“We know we have an opportunity this election to turn the page on a decade of Donald Trump trying to keep us divided and afraid of each other,” she said. “Pennsylvania, that is not who we are.”
Hundreds of supporters, decked in Harris-Walz gear, filled the arena, chanting, “We are not going back!” and holding signs emblazoned with “Freedom” — a word that has become both a campaign theme and a nod to Beyoncé’s 2016 song embraced since Harris entered the presidential race.
“It’s time for a new generation of leadership in America,” Harris said.
There were a few moments when demonstrators briefly disrupted the rally, with one shouting, “Free Palestine” while holding a Palestinian flag. The crowd responded with “Kamala!” chants as the vice president elegantly addressed the protestors, asserting her control over the event.
“Everybody has a right to be heard, but right now I am speaking,” Harris told the dissenters.
What policy issues did Harris address?
Americans are divided on the policy issues that matter most to them as they head to the polls on Nov. 5. One of the top priorities is the economy. Harris discussed lowering living costs with a “middle-class tax cut for 100 million Americans” and enacting “the first-ever federal ban on price gouging on groceries.” Another pressing issue is the looming housing crisis in the country, with Harris pledging to increase the availability of affordable housing.
Access to medical care for seniors is a critical concern for many Americans who may need to care for elderly parents or other loved ones. Harris said her plan would “cover the cost of home care under Medicare.” The initiative would give seniors the support they need to remain in their homes. Additionally, her plan would also lower the cost of childcare.
Women’s reproductive care and abortion rights have emerged as leading policy issues for Democrats, as well as some independent and Republican voters. Harris has vehemently condemned Trump overturning Roe v. Wade. She has reiterated her commitment to expanding reproductive rights while working to reverse harmful laws in states with the strictest abortion regulations.
“1 in 3 women in America lives in a state with a Trump abortion ban,” Harris said, adding Trump would ban abortion in Pennsylvania “if he were successful.”
Supporters express their views on a Harris presidency
Harris’ rally drew hundreds of supporters from various locations, expressing their views on her potential presidency.
Sage Freeman, a Harrisburg resident, voiced concerns about the severe implications of a Trump administration, stating, “If you are not a white male, moneyed, and supposedly heterosexual individual, you will not be able to survive this administration.”
James Carter, a senior citizen from Harrisburg, highlighted healthcare as a critical issue, praising Harris’ strengths and qualifications.
“I appreciate a strong woman who can handle herself,” he remarked. “She’s shown she can navigate challenges.”
The recent racist comments made at a Trump rally sparked outrage among many attendees, including Puerto Ricans and Latinos. Sylvia Vasquez Lavado, a Peruvian immigrant, emphasized the need for voter engagement.
“When they mess with one of us, they mess with all of us. We have to activate that vote,” she said.
Nelson Arce, 83, of Middletown, passionately expressed his support for Harris, asserting, “Kamala Harris is going to put us on the map.” He criticized disparaging remarks about Puerto Rico, declaring, “We deserve all the respect; we are Americans.”
Why is Pennsylvania crucial for Harris to win?
Pennsylvania is one of several battleground states that Harris must win to secure a path to the White House. She needs 19 electoral votes from the state to sway the presidential election.
According to a recent CNN poll, Harris has gained a narrow lead in two of the three “blue wall” states. She holds a 5-point lead over Trump in Michigan, with 48% to 43%. In Wisconsin, she leads 51% to 45%. Pennsylvania is the most crucial state, where both candidates are dead-locked at 48%.
Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, have campaigned multiple times in Pennsylvania, with stops in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, York, and other vital counties. Harris was scheduled to visit central Pennsylvania earlier this month but had to postpone the event to visit states affected by Hurricane Helene.
Trump won Pennsylvania in the 2016 presidential election by a margin of 44,292 votes over Hillary Clinton, with both candidates closely contesting the race at 48% and 47%. In 2020, President Joe Biden secured a more significant lead, receiving 50% of the votes compared to Trump’s 48.84%. He won the Keystone State by approximately 80,555 votes over the former president.
No Democrat has won the White House without Pennsylvania since 1948.
