‘We have a lot of work to do’: This was the first campaign rally of Kamala Harris and her vice presidential candidate Tim Walz

Democratic presidential candidate, Kamala Harris and her vice presidential running mate Tim Walz on Tuesday kicked off their campaign for the November election with a message of hope to beat Republican Donald Trump after months of pessimism.

Hours after appointing Walz, The two appeared together in front of 14,000 supporters at a stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the first stop of a tour that will take them through the most competitive states in the country, key on the road to the White House.

“We have a lot of work to do. We need to level the playing field. We are the underdogs but we have momentum,” exclaimed the Democratic candidate, shielded by her brand new number two.

Harris, the first black woman to run for president of the United States, has built a candidacy in record time since Joe Biden decided not to run two weeks ago, and he knows he has no time to waste in the less than 100 days until the election.

Record fundraising figures ($20 million in the last few hours, according to campaign sources) and recent polls in which he has managed to close the gap with Trump are a breath of optimism for a party that 15 days ago gave up on the battle.

But Harris wanted to make it clear that her candidacy not only seeks to stop Trump’s return to the White House, but also has a project for the country based, among other things, on the defense of abortion, health, access to housing and control of gun possession.

“This campaign, our campaign, is not just a fight against Donald Trump. Our campaign, this campaign, is a battle for the future,” he said.

The appearance served to present her for the first time as the party’s official candidate, after having garnered the support of 99% of the delegates. in the telematic vote that started last Thursday and in which she was the only candidate.

In the stands, thousands of supporters held up official signs with the surnames Harris and Walz, which were printed in a rush since the vice president waited until this morning to choose her running mate.

He opted for the 60-year-old governor of Minnesota, who had become the favorite of progressives, discarding the governor of Pennsylvania, Joshn Shapiro, a practicing Jew whose comments on Gaza had angered the party’s pro-Palestinian wing.

In a show of Democratic unity, Shapiro opened for Harris and Walz at their rally in his state, giving them his full support, but also hinting that he is “proud” of his faith.

Walz, the chosen one, was not well-known nationally until a few days ago when comments in which he called Republicans “weird” went viral, catapulting him into the vice presidential race.

As a young man, he enlisted in the National Guard, taught and coached high school football in rural Minnesota and served more than a decade as a congressman — legislative experience Harris valued in her selection.

By choosing Walz, whom Republicans call a “radical leftist,” Harris is seeking to attract white voters from the country’s industrial belt, especially from Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Walz lashes out at Republicans

In his first appearance alongside Harris, Walz took aim at Republicans with what has become his trademark: “That’s just my observation. I have to say it. These guys are creepy, and yes, very weird,” he declared, sparking a standing ovation from the audience.

He was referring specifically to Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance, who Republicans tout as an example of self-improvement, coming from a humble family, in order to win the sympathies of the working classes.

Walz claimed that while he did grow up “with ordinary people in the heart of the country,” Vance studied at the prestigious Yale University, helped by multimillionaires.

She also challenged him to a televised debate, giving credence to a false rumour circulating on social media that Vance had sex with a couch: “I can’t wait to debate the guy. That is if he’s willing to get off the couch,” she said.

The vice presidential candidate also lashed out at Trump, saying: “Donald Trump sees the world differently. He has no idea about service because he’s too busy serving himself.”