Kamala Harris addressed a boisterous crowd in North Philadelphia on Sunday, promising supporters that she would win a seemingly deadlocked presidential race with simply 9 days left earlier than election day.
“9 days left in probably the most consequential elections of our lifetime, and we all know that is going to be a good race till the very finish,” the vice-president advised a whole lot of supporters. “And make no mistake: we are going to win.”
Echoing a message that she has hammered at each marketing campaign cease in current weeks, Harris framed the election as a alternative between “two extraordinarily totally different visions for our nation”. Harris accused Donald Trump of waging a egocentric marketing campaign of vengeance whereas she and her supporters work towards a greater future for all People.
“Now we have a possibility earlier than us to show the web page on the worry and the divisiveness which have characterised our politics for a decade due to Donald Trump,” Harris mentioned. “Now we have the power to show the web page on that very same outdated drained playbook as a result of we’re exhausted with it, and we’re able to chart a brand new manner ahead.”
Harris took the stage after visiting a predominantly Black church and a barbershop in western Philadelphia, underscoring how vital the town can be in her electoral technique. Harris’ potential to end up Democrats in Philadelphia can be key to successful Pennsylvania, which might function the tipping level state within the electoral school.
“There may be an excessive amount of on the road, and we should not get up the day after the election and have any regrets about what we might have completed in these subsequent 9 days,” Harris mentioned. “The election is right here, and the selection, Philly, is actually in your arms. The trail to victory runs proper by way of all the leaders who’re right here.”
Cherelle Parker, the mayor of Philadelphia, was amongst a number of distinguished Democrats who launched the vice-president on the rally. Parker, the primary Black girl to function the town’s mayor, requested attendees to recollect what it felt wish to see Trump win in 2016 and urged them to do the whole lot they’ll to stop that from taking place once more. She reminded them that Joe Biden gained Pennsylvania by simply 1.2 factors in 2020, 4 years after Trump carried the state by 0.7 factors.
“Guess what the distinction was between that 2016 vote and that 2020 vote?” Parker mentioned. “Extra individuals got here out to vote within the metropolis of Philadelphia and our neighboring counties.”
The rally supplied a minimum of one warning signal for Harris, nonetheless. Professional-Palestinian protesters disrupted the start of Harris’ remarks, prompting boos from fellow attendees earlier than the demonstrators have been escorted out.
Harris didn’t draw back from addressing the protesters and as an alternative turned her full consideration to the warfare in Gaza, telling the gang: “We will and we should seize this chance to finish this warfare and produce the hostages residence, and I’ll do the whole lot in my energy to fulfill that finish.”
The stakes of the election got here up repeatedly in conversations with attendees of the rally, with many saying they felt the load of their accountability as voters in a battleground state. Brenda Exon, a 60-year-old voter from Wallingford often called the “Philly Satisfaction Woman,” attended the rally sporting her “timeline to liberty” apron, which tells the story of Philadelphia from the founding of Pennsylvania to the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the civil rights motion.
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“Our Philly story is our nation’s story, and that’s what we’re preventing for actually. We don’t need Donald Trump to take this away,” Exon mentioned. “We’re developing on our 250th [anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence], and who must be president celebrating that in 2026? Kamala Harris.”
Regardless of the polls displaying a neck-and-neck race, Harris’ supporters in Philadelphia appeared assured that she would emerge victorious. Jacob Roberts, a 26-year-old voter from West Chester who has already solid his poll for Harris, mentioned the keenness for Trump appeared dimmer in Pennsylvania this yr.
“I’m seeing numerous Kamala yard indicators round,” Roberts mentioned. “I truly simply drove out to western Pennsylvania. I didn’t see numerous Trump indicators on barns or something, so I feel we’re wanting good.”
Requested whether or not he was dissatisfied to overlook a few of the Philadelphia Eagles soccer recreation to attend Harris’ rally, Roberts mentioned it was effectively value it, including: “That is our nation we’re speaking about.”
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