Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to members of the historically Black sorority Zeta Phi Beta and asked for their help in electing her president in November. She emphasized the choice between two different visions for the nation, one focused on the future and the other on the past. Harris, a woman of Black and South Asian descent, is hoping to expand her coalition by rallying support from groups like Zeta Phi Beta.
Campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon released a memo highlighting the support among female, nonwhite, and younger voters as critical to Harris’ success. The campaign is optimistic about Harris’ chances but acknowledges challenges, including frustrations over inflation and Donald Trump’s energized base following a recent assassination attempt. However, Harris is focusing on contrasting her administration’s agenda with that of Trump’s and emphasized the importance of fighting for hard-won freedoms and rights.
Trump launched a series of attacks on Harris during a rally in Charlotte, calling her his “new victim to defeat” and accusing her of deceiving the public about Biden’s health and ability to run for a second term. Despite this, Harris remained focused on her agenda, visiting Houston to discuss recovery efforts following Hurricane Beryl and thanking emergency management and first responders. She plans to speak at the national convention of the American Federation of Teachers, which has endorsed her candidacy.
The campaign is prioritizing key states like Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, while also aiming to be competitive in states like North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada. AP VoteCast data from the 2020 election showed that Black women played a crucial role in Biden’s victory, with 93% of them voting for him. Harris has shown signs of galvanizing support among Black women, with roughly 90,000 of them logging onto a video call for her campaign after she announced her candidacy.
Harris’s message of moving forward and protecting freedoms resonates with her supporters, who are energized to help elect her as the next president. She is positioning herself as a candidate fighting for the future of the nation, while contrasting herself with Trump’s agenda of taking the country back. The campaign is hopeful about its chances, despite the challenges ahead, and is focused on building a strong coalition to secure victory in November. Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2024 election for updates on Harris’s campaign progress.
