Vice President Kamala Harris held a rally in Madison, Wisconsin on Sept. 20 for over 10,500 supporters. It was her first visit to Dane County since launching her presidential campaign and there was no shortage of Wisconsin politicians and leaders in attendance.
Before the first speaker took the stage the rally had a concert-like atmosphere. Songs by Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Chappell Roan took supporters out of their seats to dance. “Jump Around” by House of Pain echoed beyond Camp Randall Stadium, pumping up the crowd at the Alliant Energy Center.
Chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party Benjamin Wikler launched the lineup of speakers with sentiments about the close race Wisconsin will have as a battleground state. “This is the only state where four of the last six presidential elections have come down to less than one percentage point,” Wikler said. “Think not about the margin of error, but the margin of effort.”
Wikler was followed by Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, Dane County Executive Jamie Kuhn, Democratic U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Gov. Tony Evers.
“Donald Trump and J.D. Vance are a dangerous threat to our country and our democracy,” said Evers, “They are not running to help others they are running to serve themselves.”
Bill Carroll, president of Teamsters Joint Council 39, introduced Harris to the stage after he announced the local Teamsters endorsement of the Harris-Walz ticket. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, one of the US’s largest and best-known labor unions, represents over a million workers across various industries, including UPS drivers, construction and healthcare. While their members are spread nationwide, they have a strong presence in the Midwest and in swing states that could be decisive in November.
The national body of the Teamsters Union has declined to endorse a candidate for the 2024 presidential election, which differs from the election in 2o2o when they endorsed President Biden.
After Carroll’s introduction and endorsement, Harris took the stage just after 6 p.m. and began her speech by thanking Satya Rhodes-Conway for taking her back to her Madison home where she lived at the age of five. “Our parents taught at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and so we lived here for a period of time,” said Harris “So every time I land, the governor says, ‘Welcome home.'”
Harris referenced what she calls an “opportunity economy”, outlining her administration’s strategy to lower costs, make housing more affordable and spur economic growth across America.
In August, she told the Democratic National Convention that she would “bring together labor and workers and small-business owners and entrepreneurs and American companies to create jobs.” On Friday she again highlighted the vital role of small business owners, referring to them as the “backbone of America’s economy.”
Her promise to grant a tax deduction of up to $50,000 for new small businesses was followed by an abundance of applause.
Harris referenced the presidential debate between her and former President Donald Trump on Sept. 10.
“As he said in the debate, he intends to replace it [Obamacare] but has no plan. In fact, he has quote ‘concepts of a plan,’ no actual plan. Concepts. So aside from that being laughable, it’s very serious, because he’s basically saying he would threaten the health insurance of 45 million people in our country based on a concept and take us back,” Harris said.
Abortion rights have continued to be a central part of Harris’s campaign and important to her supporters. Maddline Maxson, vice chair of the UWL College of Democrats said, “I love her stance on reproductive rights, that’s one of the things I am here for.”
After Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022 the topic has sparked intense national debate.
Harris talked about meeting with the mother of Amber Nicole Thurman, a 28-year-old woman from Georgia who died after not receiving care for an infection due to the state’s law whilst pregnant. Experts, including 10 doctors, deemed her death “preventable” and said the hospital’s delay in performing the critical procedure had a “large” impact on her fatal outcome.
“These kinds of laws of the Trump abortion bans means doctors have to wait until a patient is at death’s door before they take any action,” Harris said. “Nobody wants that.”
Harris emphasized the stakes in this election are even higher than in 2016 or 2020, warning voters of the implications returning former President Donald Trump to the White House would have. “Someone who suggests we should terminate the Constitution of the United States of America should never stand behind the seal of the President of the United States,” Harris said.
Chair of the UWL College Democrats Emily Anderson was volunteering at the event. She and other students in the organization drove two hours after class to make the rally. “Being here is a great way to get enthusiastic about the election, just being here is building our energy and then we are able to go back to campus and say ‘Oh my God that was great, you guys should vote’,” she said.
