August 02, 2024
Richard Burkhart/USA TODAY NETWORK
Kamala Harris will kick off a tour of key swing states in Philadelphia on Tuesday. Above, Harris appears at a rally in Atlanta.
Vice President Kamala Harris will stop in Philadelphia on Tuesday for her first of seven campaign rallies in swing states across the United States.
The Democratic presidential nominee mostly has kept details of the event under wraps, but it will include her yet-to-be-named running mate. It reportedly will be held from 5-9 p.m. at Temple University, where Hillary Clinton and her running mate, Tim Kaine, kicked off a bus tour of Pennsylvania and Ohio after the Democratic National Convention in 2016.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro – among the contenders to be named the Democrats' 2024 vice presidential nominee – was among the speakers at Clinton's rally at McGonigle Hall, located across the street from the Liacouras Center, where Harris's rally will be held. Shapiro said he plans to attend Tuesday's event.
In 2016, Shapiro was running for attorney general and he took shots at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who was running against Clinton and is now facing Harris. During his speech, Shapiro told stories of locals who had lost money at Trump University and weren't paid by him for Cabinet work.
“At the top of the rip-off economy sits Donald Trump,” he said during the 2016 event. “Trump has gotten rich not because of his business savvy, but by defrauding working people and seniors and students and small businesses all across America.”
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, then on City Council, also addressed the crowd. Now, she's been among those advocating for Shapiro to be part of the Democratic ticket.
Proud to be back with so many leaders from across our region supporting @KamalaHarris for President and @JoshShapiroPA for VP! We are One CITY, One REGION, and ONE Commonwealth United! @PADems @PhillyDems @Joanna4PA @PADemsChair @IBEW98 @RepHarris @PALaborers pic.twitter.com/Rh1ojbRjcr
— Cherelle Parker (@PeopleforParker) August 2, 2024
While Shapiro might be the presumed front-runner to be Harris' running mate, with his state hosting the campaign's kickoff event, nothing has been confirmed. In a move that almost feels like it came from a reality TV show producer, three of Harris' top candidates canceled appearances this weekend. Shapiro dropped out of three fundraising stops in the Hamptons, saying his schedule had changed. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear will be missing two planned visits in his home state. And Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg removed a planned roundtable from his scheduled visit to Ivy Tech Community College Kokomo on Friday.
