With eight days until Election Day, Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, rallied voters in Ann Arbor alongside running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, musical guest Maggie Rogers and local political leaders.
Monday’s rally in Burns Park was Harris’ latest appearance in a string of campaign events around Michigan, which is one of seven swing states expected to decide the presidential race. Harris joined former First Lady Michelle Obama for a campaign rally in Kalamazoo Saturday, where she emphasized her plans to strengthen the economy and protect reproductive freedom.
Recent polling in the state shows Harris and former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, virtually tied, and Trump also returned to the state this week in a final push to appeal to voters.
Justin Thach, a U-M alum and organizer with the Harris campaign, opened the rally with remarks on the importance of civic and voter engagement, followed by a speech from Tony West, Harris’ brother-in-law and former U.S. associate attorney general.
Assad Turfe, Wayne County deputy executive, said in his remarks he has felt the pain and grief over the last year due to the Israeli military campaign in Gaza. Turfe urged voters who feel similarly to vote for Harris in the next eight days, citing Trump’s support of the Israeli military campaign, as well as his previous offensive remarks about Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims.
“Trump has praised the Israeli war in Gaza and encouraged Netanyahu, ‘Do what you have to do,’” Turfe said. “He even said Israel should ‘finish the job.’ Just last month, Trump said that he would block Palestinian refugees from coming to the United States. Trump has called Yemeni immigrants terrorists, and he uses the word Palestinian as a slur. Trump has promised to bring back his racist travel and refugee ban, and he said it would be even bigger this time. If he gets another chance to occupy the Oval Office, he will only bring more chaos and more suffering.”
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, also spoke at the event. Dingell highlighted how the values of Ann Arbor voters contrast with the values of the Republican party, and encouraged attendees to vote.
“See, in Michigan, we look out for one another,” Dingell said. “We respect our neighbors and let them make their own choices. … We treat each other with decency and kindness, and we send bullies back to where they came from. So in these next eight days, you all have to fight for them, and it starts with making a plan to vote.”
In his remarks at the rally, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II pointed to the achievements of the state government since the 2022 midterms, when voters elected Democrats to the state House, state Senate and the governorship, as motivation for Michiganders to vote Democratic in 2024.
“We’ve shown people here in Michigan that Democratic government is worth fighting for and worth voting for, because me and Gretchen Whitmer — our amazing governor — (and) the first Democratic trifecta in 40 years have delivered on everything from putting money in people’s pockets to protecting reproductive freedom,” Gilchrist said. “And we have to make sure that we keep an ally in the White House, and the strongest ally for Michigan is Vice President Kamala Harris.”
Gilchrist closed his remarks by introducing indie singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers, who performed renditions of five of her most popular songs, opening with “Love You For a Long Time” and closing with “Different Kind of World.” Rogers, who is currently on tour for her most recent album, Don’t Forget Me, said she came to Michigan to campaign for the Harris-Walz ticket because of the importance of the election.
“As I’m standing here today, I can’t ignore the headlines that I’ve been seeing on my phone any longer,” Rogers said. “I have to face the reality of what’s happening in the next eight days. To tell you the complete truth, it’s terrifying. These are such wild and unprecedented times, and the energy feels so high, and the future feels so uncertain and I don’t always know what to do with that feeling. But there is something to me that is greater than fear — and that’s action. All of you being here today, right now, and voting. Voting is the key to the future.”
After Rogers’ performance, LSA freshman Gauri Chawla, student fellow with the Michigan One Campaign, spoke to attendees about her experience as a first-time voter during this election. Chawla said she felt the choice between Trump and Harris was clear.
“This year is the first time I have ever been able to vote, and I am thrilled to be supporting Kamala Harris and Tim Walz,” Chawla said. “As a student and a first time voter, the choice between a candidate who wants to protect my freedoms, and a candidate fighting to take them away could not be easier.”
In an interview with The Michigan Daily before the event, Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor emphasized that — in addition to the presidential election — local, down-ballot races have a significant impact on people’s day-to-day life. Taylor highlighted Michigan’s state Supreme Court race and Ann Arbor’s ballot proposals, which have made waves in the community.
“I think it’s incredibly important that we recognize that while the partisan ballot exists and is there, down ballot races are crucial to people’s quality of life,” Taylor said. “You’ve got the state level races, like the Supreme Court, you’ve got local races, like props A, B and C and D. … It’s incredibly important that people understand what’s at stake.”
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris’ running mate, took the stage shortly after Chawla to highlight Harris’ platform and her record in office as a prosecutor, U.S. senator and vice president.
“She stood up for women and children against predators and abusers,” Walz said. “She stood up for seniors and workers against fraudsters and big corporate needs. And she stood up for families and communities and took on transnational gangs and traffickers.”
Walz also asked the men in the crowd to think about the women in their lives as they cast their vote this November, emphasizing Harris’ commitment to sign a national law codifying the right to an abortion if it came across her desk.
“All of you have those women in your life, daughters, partners, sisters, friends, neighbors, colleagues, whoever it might be,” Walz said. “Their lives are at stake in this election. Let me be very clear about this — when Congress restores the right to choose, making Roe the law of the land, Kamala Harris will proudly sign it into law.”
Harris, who held a rally in Texas Friday alongside U.S. Senate candidate Colin Allred and musical guest Beyoncé, cited the state’s current abortion policy as an example of the harms inflicted by the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Texas law currently prohibits all abortions after the point at which the fetus’s heartbeat can be heard, usually about five or six weeks, with no exceptions in cases of rape or incest.
“I was in Texas the other day,” Harris said. “You know, they provide prison for life for doctors and nurses and health care providers for providing care — prison for life. For a crime that is a violation of someone’s body, and then to tell a survivor of that violation, ‘You have no right to make a decision about what happens to your body.’ That is immoral. It is immoral. And I know you all agree: One does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree the government should not be telling her what to do.”
Shortly after taking the stage, Harris’ remarks were interrupted by a group of pro-Palestine protesters within the rally crowd. In response to their chants of “Israel bombs, Kamala pays,” Harris emphasized her support for a cease-fire deal that would put a stop to Israeli military violence in Gaza and bring the remaining hostages home.
Harris also directly addressed the young voters in the crowd, highlighting their leadership in fighting for social issues that the Harris campaign has been emphasizing.
“One of the things about (your generation) is that you are rightly impatient for change,” Harris said. “You have only known the climate crisis, and are leading the charge to protect our planet and our future. You young leaders who grew up with active shooter drills and are fighting then to keep our schools safe. You, who now know fewer rights than your mothers and grandmothers, are standing up for reproductive freedom.”
Ann Arbor resident Paul Hackert told The Daily he has already voted for Harris because he supports abortion access and aid for Ukraine. He also said he believes in Harris’ economic policies, but also because he appreciates her approach to the campaign in general.
“I really like her theme of positive, going forward,” Hackert said. “I really don’t like Trump. Honestly, I despise him. He’s just a despicable individual. So I like her positive approach, I hate his un-American, horrible approach.”
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Co-Editor in Chief Samantha Rich and Daily News Editor Mary Corey can be reached at sammrich@umich.edu and mcorey@umich.edu.
The post Harris, Walz visit Ann Arbor to rally for a ‘Different Kind of World’ with musical guest Maggie Rogers appeared first on The Michigan Daily.
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