WEST ALLIS, Wis. — Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday reintroduced herself to re-energized Democrats and painted a deep contrast to former President Donald Trump in her presidential campaign kickoff in the crucial battleground state of Wisconsin.
“I took on perpetrators of all kinds: predators who abused women, fraudsters who ripped off consumers, cheaters who broke the rules for their own game,” Harris said of her experience as a U.S. senator, attorney general and prosecutor.
“So hear me out when I say this, I know Donald Trump’s type,” Harris said to loud applause.
The rally in West Allis, just outside of Milwaukee, came a day after Harris earned the support of enough delegates to secure the nomination, which is expected to come formally in early August via a virtual roll call. And it comes on the heels of a record-setting $81 million raised within just 24 hours of her announcement to enter the race. Harris delivered similar remarks to rally campaign workers in Delaware on Monday.
Tuesday marked Harris’ first campaign trail remarks about her newly formed presidential campaign — and she took time to thank President Joe Biden for what he has called a “selfless” decision to drop out.
“I am so very honored, and I pledge to you, I will spend the coming weeks continuing to unite our party so that we are ready to win in November,” Harris said.
Harris said “building up the middle class will be a defining goal of her presidency,” including affordable health care and childcare, paid family leave, safety from gun violence and restoring reproductive freedoms.
“We who believe in reproductive freedom will stop Donald Trump’s extreme abortion bans because we trust women to make decisions about their own body and not have their government tell them what to do,” Harris said. “And when Congress passes a law to restore reproductive freedoms, as president of the United States, I will sign it into law.”
Harris’ short 17-minute speech sought to contrast how Trump’s vision is focused on the past and hers is a focus on the future. The crowd booed mention of “Project 2025,” the far-right Heritage Foundation’s 900-page blueprint for the next Republican administration that was written and crafted by several former Trump appointees.
Trump has tried to distance himself from the project, posting this month that he knows “nothing” about Project 2025 and didn’t know who crafted it. But Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance, has publicly praised it.
“Can you believe they put that thing in writing?” Harris said. “Read it. It’s 900 pages.”
“We are not going back,” Harris said. “And I’ll tell you why we’re not going back. Ours is a fight for the future and it’s a fight for freedom.”
Harris ended her remarks with a chant of, “When we fight, we win,” and walked off to Beyonce’s “Freedom.”
Rallygoers waved freshly printed “Kamala” signs as fans to cool off in a packed yet sweltering high school gymnasium. The two-day old presidential campaign is clearly in transition — with Biden-Harris tents outside and Harris for President digital signs inside.
It was Harris’ ninth visit to the battleground state since becoming vice president and her fifth visit to the state this year. Harris also plans to visit Indianapolis on Wednesday to deliver a keynote speech at a Zeta Phi Beta Sorority event.
The historical significance of Harris becoming the first Black woman and first Asian American to lead a presidential ticket was a focal point for many in attendance, including Derick Jenkins, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, the “brother” organization of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, which Harris belongs to.
“I’m excited. I was excited before but it almost seems like it’s personal now. It’s like a big sister is running for the president of the United States,” said Jenkins, 51, of Milwaukee. “So to be a part of that is overwhelming.”
Jenkins heard about the event on Monday from his fraternity, which he said will be working to mobilize support for Harris, including “e-mails, calls, Zooms.”
“Vice President is AKA and we want to make sure that we give her full support in this whole campaign,” Jenkins said.
Sangita Nayak, 49, of Milwaukee, got an invite to the event back when it was a Biden-Harris rally, but she said as the daughter of Indian immigrants, Harris at the top of the ticket means even more.
“I never thought in my lifetime there’d be someone with an Indian mom who’s possibly going to be our next president,” Nayak said. “…I think she brings a new level of energy to the fight.”