Washington — Vice President Kamala Harris is heading out on the campaign trail with her running mate, the governor of Minnesota. Tim Walz in Philadelphia on Tuesday — the couple’s first gathering together since she announced which Democratic candidate would be his choice for vice president hours ago.
The rally is underway, and Gov. Josh Shapiro, a leading contender for vice president, addresses the crowd. “I love being your governor,” Shapiro said, before vowing he would work hard to elect Harris and Walz.
He praised Harris, whom he has considered a friend for 20 years, as “tough in court,” referring to her career as a prosecutor, and said, “She has a big heart, she’s seasoned and she’s ready to fight.”
Shapiro also praised Walz, calling him an outstanding governor, a great patriot and a dear friend.
In his first remarks as Harris’ running mate, Walz is expected to emphasize Midwestern values.
“Minnesota’s strength comes from our values: our commitment to working together, to seeing beyond our differences, to reaching out,” Walz is expected to say, according to a Harris-Walz campaign official.
He is also expected to take aim at Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, saying he “sees the world differently.”
“He doesn’t know anything about service because he’s too busy serving himself,” Walz is expected to say.
Walz is also expected to tout Harris’ record as a prosecutor and tell rally attendees that she has “fought alongside the American people” in every role she has held.
“She took on predators and fraudsters, dismantled transnational gangs, stood up to powerful corporate interests, and never hesitated to reach out to others if it meant improving people’s lives,” Walz is expected to say.
With 19 electoral votes, Pennsylvania has the largest share of the vote among the swing states, and a victory there could be key to winning the White House in November. In 2016, former President Donald Trump unexpectedly won the state, which had voted for the Democratic presidential nominee since 1992. President Biden recaptured it in 2020.
Harris and Trump tied at 50% among likely voters in Pennsylvania, latest data shows CBS News PollThe poll, which found Harris with a one-point lead nationally, also shows the vice president and Trump in an even race in the other six key states.
Trump’s running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, also stopped in Philadelphia earlier Tuesday. He also plans to travel to other key states later in the week.
Schedule of upcoming rallies planned by Kamala Harris
The Philadelphia rally marks the start of Harris and Walz’s seven-state tour this week. The two men will campaign in the following cities:
- Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Wednesday
- Detroit, Michigan, Thursday
- Phoenix, Arizona, Friday
- Las Vegas, Nevada, Saturday.
Harris had also planned campaign stops in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Thursday and Savannah, Georgia, on Friday, but the events were postponed due to Tropical Storm Debbywhich is expected to bring historic rainfall and flooding to southeastern states this week.
Melissa Quinn contributed to this report.
