PHILADELPHIA — with her new running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday. Philadelphia was their first stop.
Temple University’s Liacouras Center was packed with thousands of Democrats from across the region waiting to catch a glimpse of the candidates who will face off against Republican candidates, former president Donald Trump and Ohio Sen. JD Vance in November.
Support from Philadelphia’s collar counties was strong as people braved the heat, humidity and rain as they prepared to stand in line hoping to get a spot inside the college arena.
“I’m just excited for a woman candidate for president and want to be part of history,” said Suzanne Burke, of Wayne.
Terri Ferris, of Cedar Heights, Whitemarsh Township, had been at her vacation home in Maryland, but she and her husband, Timothy, rearranged their schedule so they could attend.
“I wouldn’t miss it,” Ferris said.
‘I want Trump out of my life’
As people made their way to the Liacouras Center in North Philadelphia, attendees of Tuesday’s campaign event were eager to express their vehement opposition to the former president as they rallied around Harris.
“I was a Republican for 30 years and I left because of Trump,” said Kathy Thomas, of Upper Providence Township.
“I’m a strong Democrat. I support Kamala. I want her to win because if she doesn’t, this may be the last election we actually have, because Trump has already got things in place to try to steal this one the way he tried to steal 2020,” said Charlene McGrady, of Pocoposon Township.
“This is the most consequential election of our lives,” said Abington resident Heather Sommerer. “Because I think if we don’t end this now, and we don’t defeat Trump, now there’s no going back. Our democracy will be lost and women’s rights will be lost.”
“I want Trump out of my life, out of everybody’s life. He’s a disgrace. He’s harmful, and he wants to be a dictator, and frankly, I don’t want him to take my freedom as a woman,” Terri Ferris said.
It’s been a whirlwind few weeks in national politics since President Joe Biden suspended his reelection campaign and endorsed Harris. Harris racked up numerous endorsements and formally secured the Democratic nomination in a virtual roll call session, she said on Tuesday.
The change in the political landscape appeared to revive Democrats with less than four months until the general election.
“It’s huge,” said Montgomery County Commissioners’ Vice Chairman Neil Makhija. “I haven’t felt this way in a very long time in politics, and I think there are people coming out of the woodwork who didn’t even want to pay attention at all, and now they’re ready to step up, and get involved, and volunteer and donate and turn out the vote.”
Attendees donned t-shirts with Kamala Harris ‘24, American flags and political phrases such as “Roevember” as they championed the vice president.
“She’s on our side,” said Conshohocken resident Tina Brunetti, who stressed she’s “here for women’s rights, because we are still fighting, and we’re going to be fighting for a long time.”
Others were interested to hear what she had to say as she addressed a crowd of thousands of people. While the exact attendance was unclear, the North Philadelphia arena has capacity for 10,000 people.
“It’s the first time I’ll see her in person as the nominee, and I think she’s going to continue to distinguish herself as her own leader, and I’m excited to hear the new ideas that she brings to the table,” Makhija said.
Harris, Walz pick ‘birthplace of democracy’ to kick off ticket
Tuesday’s rally also marked Harris’ first public appearance since announcing Walz as her running mate. They’re expected to visit several other swing states in the coming days. In Philadelphia, the crowd went into a frenzy, cheering and whistling, as Harris and Walz took the stage.
Harris introduced Walz, taking voters through this past and giving them a sense to him, both personally and professionally. Born on a farm in Nebraska, Harris noted that Walz began his career as a social studies teacher and football coach before running for Congress in 2006. He served Minnesota’s first congressional district for a dozen years and was elected governor in 2018.
“And in 91 days, he’ll be known as another name: vice president of the United States,” Harris said of Walz.
“I couldn’t be prouder to be on this ticket, and to help make Kamala Harris the next president of the United States,” Walz said.
With Philadelphia being the “birthplace of democracy,” as Abington resident Heather Sommerer observed, many were pleased with the campaign’s decision to kick things off in the Keystone State.
“I love it. Where else would they do it?” McGrady said.
“We are so excited because we’re from Philly so we’re very excited, and very proud that all that is happening here for us,” said Kate Sommerer, of Yardley.
The move did not go unnoticed by several dignitaries who made remarks on Tuesday. Among them were Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, and
“They chose to launch their campaign right here in the birthplace of real freedom,” Shapiro said.
Shapiro, a Montgomery County native, had been a contender and reportedly on Harris’ short list as a vice presidential candidate. He was in Montgomery County just last week stumping for Harris alongside Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at a rally at Still in his first term as governor, Shapiro has become a rising Democratic star on the national stage.
Shapiro issued a statement following Harris’ announcement, expressing his “enthusiastic support” for the Harris-Walz ticket.
“You know what Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are for? They are for real freedom,” Shapiro said Tuesday evening.
While the Philadelphia area had been abuzz with anticipation over the past couple of weeks to see if Harris would select Shapiro, voters had varying reactions to the news.
Makhija observed that “Walz has a profile that’s relatable across the commonwealth.”
“I think that’s really important to make sure both the vice president, and her running mate, are going across the entire commonwealth, and he’s somebody who I think can cover a lot of ground,” Makhija said.
“I would of loved it if she’d chosen Josh because I think he’s amazing, and also if she had, then we’d have a Black governor in Pennsylvania, our Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis, would be a wonderful choice. But that said, the more I read about Tim Walz, the more impressed I am,” said McGrady, adding that “I think even without Josh Shapiro on the ticket, Kamala is going to take Pennsylvania.”
McGrady, who’s also a committee person for the Kennett Area Democrats, stressed that Pennsylvania’s importance cannot be understated.
“Pennsylvania is a … key state in the blue wall,” she said.
Makhija agreed.
“It is the most important state. Everybody gets it, and we’ve all got to turn out,” he said.
Rally speakers blast Republican opposition
Candidate records were touted by speakers at Tuesday’s rally. Shapiro, who said he’s known Harris for two decades, noted her experience as an attorney general, district attorney and prosecutor prior to her time in Congress.
“She is courtroom tough, she has a big heart, and she is battle tested, and ready to go,” Shapiro said.
Harris shared her own experiences as she “took on perpetrators of all kinds,” ranging from domestic violence to fraud.
“So hear me when I say,” she paused as the crowd roared with applause, “I know Donald Trump’s type.”
The Trump-Vance ticket was a major topic of Tuesday’s rally as Democrats took aim at the Republican opposition, blasting their stance on several topics ranging from abortion to the economy to democracy. Vance was also campaigning in Philadelphia on Tuesday.
Fetterman said he’s “worked with JD Vance,” a statement that was met with a booming boo from the crowd. “I’m here to confirm that he is a seriously weird dude.”
“We are the underdogs in this race, but we have the momentum, and I know exactly what we are up against,” Harris said, who noted that while she and Walz come from different backgrounds, they share core values.
“We both believe in lifting people up, not knocking them down,” she said. Walz concurred, stressing the importance of “working together,” “seeing past our differences” and “lending a helping hand” to those in need.
“These same values I learned on the family farm, and tried to instill in my students,” Walz said. “I took [them] to Congress, and the state capital, and now, Vice President Harris and I are running to take them to the White House.”
