GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Vice President Kamala Harris took her bid for the White House to West Michigan for the first time on Friday.
The Democratic nominee held a campaign rally in Grand Rapids' Riverside Park.
Watch Harris' speech in full below
It was the first of three stops in Michigan for Harris, who is also scheduled to make appearances in Lansing and Detroit on Friday.
The rally in Riverside Park is the first time the Vice President is hitting the campaign trail in West Michigan since being named the Presidential nominee. Harris last campaigned in West Michigan on July 17 in Kalamazoo, before President Joe Biden dropped out of the race for the White House.
Many attendees who attended Harris’s rally shared their own concerns as Nov. 5 draws near.
“We are all committed to doing everything we need to win this thing,” said Governor Whitmer. “And they know for Harris-Walzs to win, this is ground zero.”
If it hasn’t been clear yet this election, Michigan matters.
“No one is getting control of the House, the Senate, White House without winning here in West Michigan,” said Congresswoman Hillary Scholten.
Hundreds of supporters flocked to Riverside Park excited to hear the vice president's message to West Michigan.
“I'm very passionate about public schools,” said Max.
“I think the messaging needs to be about protecting our reproductive health rights,” said Mandy.
“LGBTQ+ rights,” said John.
With the slimmest of margins left in the race for the White House, some hope Harris can appeal to more voters with her stop Friday.
“I don't know why there's a … digression of young African American men moving away,” said Greg.
The earliest rally goers arrived at Riverside Park at 4 a.m. Harris took the stage around 2:30 p.m.
Following words from Congresswoman Hillary Scholten, Sen. Debbie Stabenow and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the message was clear: a new way forward for Michigan.
Watch their speeches below
“Ours that is focused on the future, Donald Trump's that is focused on the past,” said Harris.
Much of her message focused on bringing down the cost of living, investing in small businesses and entrepreneurs and protecting reproductive freedoms.
“We will build what I call an opportunity economy,” she said. Her plans are geared toward supporting working families.
“My plan will also give middle class tax cuts to 100 million Americans, including $6,000 tax credit for the first year of a child's life, so that our young parents can do what they naturally want to do,” said Harris.
Then in a nod to our state’s auto-manufacturing industry, she promised to add jobs through electric vehicle (EV) production and utilizing what we already have in place here in West Michigan.
“I will never tell you what kind of car you have to drive,” said Harris. “But here is what I will do. I will invest in manufacturing communities like Kent County. Together, we will retool existing factories, hire locally and work with unions to create good-paying jobs.”
A common message we've heard all throughout this election cycle is that Michigan matters.
And that was clear Friday: both candidates were in Michigan this Friday, and in the coming days, we're going to see Doug Emhoff as well as Tim Walz and the Obamas visiting Michigan.
Well-traveled campaign trail in Michigan
Michigan has been a hot ticket for both campaigns. Here's a look at the political events in the state since mid-July.
Republican Vice President nominee JD Vance held a rally at Berlin Raceway. It was his first campaign event after a nationally-televised debate with Democratic nominee Tim Walz.
Former President Donald Trump rallied supporters in Walker on September 27. His event was the target of a false bomb threat.
Vance held a rally in Sparta on September 17. He spoke exclusively with FOX 17 during his visit.
Watch the complete interview here:
Walz held several events in Grand Rapids and Lansing on September 12 & 13. Walz also spoke exclusively with FOX 17 during his stop in West Michigan.
Watch the full interview below:
Walz's wife met with Democratic volunteers in Grand Rapids on September 4.
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 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 held a campaign event in Kalamazoo.
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