GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Several local and state leaders spoke on the Harris-Walz campaign stage Thursday including Governor Whitmer, who considers herself a close colleague of Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota and Kamala Harris' pick for vice president.
Two days out from the first and only meeting of Trump and Harris, Walz spent about 20 minutes talking about the debate which democrats considered a decisive win.
It was a tight fit as Walz hammered in on debate, speaking to supporters who stood in the cramped main hallway, under the skeleton replica of a blue-whale in the Grand Rapids Public Museum.
"This guy is stuck in the past," Walz said of Trump. "[Harris] is focused on the future of this country, the bright future that each and every one of us get to partake in."
There were stark comparisons between the two candidates for most of the 40 minute speech.
"What is unforgivable is him stealing our joy. So here's the thing, Kamala Harris is bringing not only solutions that focus on you, she's doing it with a smile and joy on her face."
The democratic VP nominee did share his desires for the nation if his ticket wins.
He said people make their health care decisions, not politicians and that he and Harris support the second amendment, but their first responsibility is keeping our children safe. He said, "And you can have both."
He did have a slight focus on his fellow midwest state.
"Kamala Harris is going to keep creating 10s of 1,000s of manufacturing jobs right here in Michigan."
He knows the weight both the state and this area carries.
"The Presidency of the United States and the future of our democracy could very well go right through this room in Grand Rapids."
Trump won Kent county in 2016, but the democrats flipped it 2020 and they hope to repeat in 2024. Kent County was one of only two counties that flipped.
Walz is also expected to take part in some smaller events in West Michigan on Friday before moving on to Lansing and later Wisconsin.
Watch Walz's arrival below:
Watch Walz's full campaign speech:
The VP nominee's appearance follows a number of other stops by both presidential campaigns.
Walz's wife met with Democratic volunteers in Grand Rapids a week ago.
Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump held a rally in Potterville on August 29, the same day Doug Emhoff, husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, appeared at a event in Grand Rapids.
Two days before that GOP Vice Presidential nominee JD Vance held a rally outside Big Rapids.
During the Democratic National Convention on August 20, Trump rallied in Howell.
On August 14 Vance appeared in Byron Township.
Vance also held a press conference outside the Shelby Township Police Department on August 7. Harris and Walz both appeared at a rally at the Detroit Metro Airport the same day, then met with union members from Ford Motor Company the next morning.
The largest event so far in West Michigan came just a week after the assassination attempt on Trump. The former President held his first rally with his VP pick in Van Andel Arena with thousands turned away at the doors.
During the Republican National Convention on July 17, Harris herself held a campaign event in Kalamazoo.
By the time Walz takes the stage on Thursday in Grand Rapids there will be just 53 days until polls close on November 5.
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