Kamala Harris rallies voters in Harrisburg: ‘Time for a new generation of leadership’

Democratic presidential nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris put the “Harris” in Harrisburg on Wednesday when she appeared at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in the commonwealth’s capital city for a campaign rally. 

Harris’ visit, which came just six days before Election Day, was part of a swing-state blitz in the final week of campaigning of the 2024 presidential election cycle, just a day after former President Donald Trump visited the Keystone State for a roundtable event in Drexel Hill and a rally of his own in Allentown. Both candidates are vying for the commonwealth’s crucial 19 electoral votes to secure their path to the White House. 

“It is time for a new generation of leadership in America,” Harris told attendees shortly after she took the stage on Wednesday afternoon. “I am ready to offer that leadership as the next president of the United States.”

Harris continued themes from the rally she held Tuesday night at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., characterizing her opponent, former President Donald Trump, as a danger to democracy while also stressing the importance of bipartisanship and finding common ground.

Harris said Trump would bring an “enemies list” to the White House. “This is someone who is unstable, obsessed with revenge … out for unchecked power,” Harris told 4,300 attendees at the complex’s Giant Expo Center. 

“When I’m elected, I will walk in with a to-do list,” she added. “At the top of my list is bringing down your cost of living.” She proceeded to run through her economic plan for the U.S., pledging to provide a middle-class tax cut to 100 million Americans and implement a federal ban on price-gouging on groceries. 

Speaking to the Economic Club of Pittsburgh in late September, Harris unveiled other economic policy proposals she hopes to implement if elected to the Oval Office. Her economic agenda includes expanding the federal Child Tax Credit, providing $25,000 in down payment assistance to first-time homebuyers, and expanding the cap on startup expense tax deductions for new businesses from $5,000 to $50,000.

Wednesday’s rally, which included stump speeches from state and local Democrats making the case for a Harris-Walz ticket, also featured music and dance performances from Harrisburg High School students, “Van-mala,” the Harris-themed merchandise truck, and cornhole boards for those looking to add a little fun to their politics.

Other high-profile Democrats who spoke at Wednesday’s rally included Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and state Rep. Patty Kim, who is seeking election to the state Senate.Kim, who said Harris would protect the country’s democratic ideals, noted that she had already voted for Harris by mail. “I voted for Kamala Harris because she believes in our democracy and will do everything in her power to protect it,” she said.

While at the podium, Davis pointed out the stark differences between Harris and Trump and their respective visions for the country. “We are in the final stretch of this election,” he said. “The end is near and the campaigns are giving their closing arguments, and the contrast couldn’t be clearer,” he said. 

Davis accused Trump of “dialing up the hate” with his campaign rhetoric. “Donald Trump is dialing up the hate, talking about the ‘enemy within’ and trashing America as the garbage can of the world,” he said. “I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of this guy shit-talking America.”

Harris was sporadically confronted by hecklers, including one individual holding a Palestinian flag who shouted references to “genocide” as he was escorted out of the event. 

At one point, in response to a heckler, Harris said: “Everybody has a right to be heard, but right now, I am speaking,” prompting applause from the crowd. 

While Harris also expressed concerns about Trump’s rhetoric, she ended her rally on Wednesday on an optimistic note. “We are fighting for our democracy. We love our democracy. It can be complicated at times, but it is the best system in the world,” she said. “We all have so much more in common than what separates us. 

“So remember, your vote is your voice and your voice is your power,” she added. “Are you ready to make your voices heard?”