WEST ALLIS — Vice President Kamala Harris energized voters in Wisconsin on Tuesday during her first presidential campaign event. This milestone comes after securing essential delegate support to claim the Democratic nomination. She used this opportunity to emphatically outline her race against former President Donald Trump.
Earlier this week, Harris received backing from key Democratic leaders along with enough National Convention delegates to secure her nomination if pledges are honored. This marks a significant accomplishment for Harris.
“Wisconsin, this morning I’m proud to tell you that we’ve gathered the necessary delegate support to clinch the Democratic nomination. It’s an honor, and I promise to spend the coming weeks uniting our party to ensure victory this November,” Harris shared with an enthusiastic crowd in West Allis, near Milwaukee.
Harris passionately criticized Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, particularly on the contentious issue of abortion and Project 2025, a conservative transition strategy spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation.
“We will put an end to Donald Trump’s extreme abortion bans because we believe women should have the autonomy to make decisions about their bodies without government interference,” Harris declared, prompting loud cheers. “Once Congress passes the law restoring reproductive freedoms, as president, I will sign it into law.”
In recent speeches, Harris has emphasized her legal career as both San Francisco’s district attorney and California’s attorney general to differentiate herself from Trump, who faces numerous felony convictions.
She highlighted her prosecutorial background during the rally while taking a pointed jab at Trump.
“In my career, I’ve tackled all kinds of wrongdoers: predators who harm women, fraudsters who deceive consumers, and cheaters who break rules for personal gain,” she remarked. “So, believe me when I say, I know Donald Trump’s type.”
The crowd responded with chants of “lock him up,” referencing the famous “lock her up” chants at Trump’s 2016 rallies against Hillary Clinton.
Choosing Wisconsin for her first event was strategic, as it’s a pivotal battleground state for the 2024 elections. Interestingly, Wisconsin hosted the Republican National Convention just last week.
“Vice President Harris’s visit underscores the pivotal choice Wisconsinites face: between Donald Trump, the convicted felon who would undermine our progress, and her vision for a brighter future where freedoms are safeguarded and every American has a fair shot,” noted her campaign memo.
Harris’s campaign announced raising $100 million in just over a day since she entered the presidential race following President Joe Biden’s decision not to run.
This impressive amount, collected by the Harris campaign, the Democratic National Committee, and associated fundraising bodies, was amassed between Sunday afternoon and Monday evening. Over this brief period, 58,000 individuals pledged to volunteer — a number surpassing their usual daily sign-up rate by over 100 times, according to the campaign.
