Vice President Kamala Harris made a stop on the campaign trail in Arizona today. The rally, held at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, was attended by a crowd of approximately 20,000. This is one of the first stops Harris has made since selecting her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota on Monday. Harris received the official nomination from the Democratic Party earlier this week, making her the party’s official presidential candidate.
With Arizona being a key swing state, Harris has to pull support from the state’s moderate voters. President Biden flipped Arizona in the 2020 election with only .03% more of the vote than former President Trump.
Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis, of Gila River, was the first speaker at the rally. “When we come together with one voice, our strength is multiplied and our actions create a greater good,” Lewis said. “Tonight we honor the past, but we look forward to the future because we are not going back.”
Corey Woods, mayor of Tempe, took the stage with Mayor John Giles (R) of Mesa and Mayor Kate Gallego (D) of Phoenix, and spoke to the crowd about being proud to represent “the strong bipartisan support” needed to go up against Trump and his plan “Project 2025.”
“I do not recognize my party,” Giles, a lifelong Republican, said. “The party has been taken over by extremists who are committed to pushing those of us in the middle out of the party.”
Other speakers included Greg Stanton, Ruben Gallego, Mark Kelly and Gabby Giffords. Sen. Kelly was one of the Democratic party’s top contenders for Harris's VP spot. While some Arizonians expressed disappointment that Kelly was not chosen, the senator still showed support for Harris at the rally, urging voters to get to the polls in November.
Quinn Bauer, 21, said that this is her second time voting in a presidential election. To her, it’s important that young people be educated about what’s happening in America.
“Research,” Bauer said. “This is your country. This is someone who’s supposed to be representing you, so go vote.”
Walz addressed the audience before introducing Harris. “I think it’s safe to say Donald Trump sees the world a little differently than we do,” Walz said.
Harris echoed Walz’s sentiments in her 30 minute speech, calling attention to Trump’s recent felony charges as well as former allegations against him.
Harris ended her speech with a call to action.
“Do we believe in the promise of America?” she asked the crowd. “Are we willing to fight for it?” She responded to the crowd’s affirmative answer with one of her campaign slogans, “when we fight, we win.”
Arizona, I love you back. pic.twitter.com/Ty15nv2Gb0
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 10, 2024
This was one of the largest election events in Arizona history, with the crowd filling almost every seat in Desert Diamond Arena.
The presidential candidate was reported to have been staying in downtown Phoenix, next to the ASU campus, with several streets being blocked off for security purposes. These increased security precautions are likely due to concerns for candidate safety after the shooting at the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.