In York, Walz says election is an opportunity to ‘chart the new way forward’

Fresh off his debate with GOP vice presidential nominee JD Vance, Democratic vice presidential nominee and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz made a stop in York on Wednesday, where he campaigned with U.S. Sen. John Fetterman and made the case for electing Vice President Kamala Harris to the White House.

Walz, in his remarks to roughly 2,300 supporters at the York Exposition Center’s UPMC Arena, highlighted Harris’ record as a prosecutor and said that if elected, Harris will work across the aisle to find solutions for Americans, regardless of political affiliation – something he said she’s done throughout her career.  

“The story that needs to be told – and you see it – she did it by reaching across the aisle to find solutions. That matters; it matters,” he said. “Donald Trump says, ‘I don’t like people who don’t like me.’”

Walz focused heavily on economic policy during his speech, underscoring Harris’ commitment to reducing the cost of living for Americans and taking on corporate price gouging – two issues Harris highlighted during a speech in Pittsburgh last week.

Walz looked to draw a direct line between Harris’ economic policy proposals and their potential impact on Pennsylvanians. “You’re hoping to buy a home someday? Let’s make it easier by getting some down payment affordability and building those 3 million new homes. That child tax credit that can reduce childhood poverty by a third – lets you buy a crib, or a car seat or baby clothes,” he said.

He also expressed concern about Vance’s reluctance to address Trump’s continued false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen during Tuesday night’s debate – a moment that the Harris campaign has already turned into an ad. 

“In that 88th minute last night, with that damning non-answer, Sen. Vance made it clear he will always make a different choice than Mike Pence made,” he said, referring to former Vice President Mike Pence’s decision to certify the 2020 presidential election results despite pressure from Trump. “And as I said then, and I will say now, that should be absolutely disqualifying if you’re asking to be the vice president of the United States,” Walz said.

Fetterman also took several verbal shots at Vance, comparing him to his 2022 U.S. Senate opponent, celebrity physician Dr. Mehmet Oz. “They both used to be accomplished, regular people,” he said. “Then they decided to sell their soul to be all about MAGA.” 

Fetterman said voters delivered by electing Joe Biden as president in 2020 – and by electing Fetterman himself to the U.S. Senate in 2022. He said Pennsylvania voters’ next mission is to elect Harris and Walz to the White House.

Prior to the rally, Walz arrived at Harrisburg International Airport in Middletown, where he was greeted by Fetterman and his wife Gisele, Attorney General Michelle Henry, and a collection of Pennsylvania labor leaders, including AFL-CIO Pennsylvania President Angela Ferritto and Pennsylvania Building and Construction Trades Council President Robert Bair, among others, according to a Harris-Walz campaign official. 

York County Commissioner Doug Hoke was the first Democratic official to speak at Wednesday’s campaign rally. He praised Walz for his performance on Tuesday night. “Last night, Gov. Walz talked about the issues that matter to the American people,” he said, noting that a Harris-Walz administration will focus on defending freedoms and lowering costs for Pennsylvanians.

Both Walz and Vance saw their favorability numbers improve following Tuesday night’s debate, the lone vice presidential debate of the 2024 presidential election cycle. According to a CNN poll conducted following the debate, 59% of viewers surveyed said they had a favorable opinion of Walz following the debate, up from 46% in September. Vance, meanwhile, saw his favorability numbers increase from 30% to 41% after the debate ended, according to the CNN survey.

Walz, before he wrapped up his 35-minute speech, cast the election as an opportunity to take the country in a new direction.

“In this election,” he said, “we have a chance to turn the page on those guys, elect a new generation of leadership and chart the new way forward.”