Harris stumps in Philadelphia 9 days out from Election Day

Vice President Harris rallied voters in Philadelphia on Sunday as the race between her and former President Trump grows tighter nine days out from Election Day. 

Harris largely stuck to her stump speech in nearly 15 minute remarks from downtown Philadelphia, urging voters in battleground Pennsylvania to head to the polls. 

“There is too much on the line, and we must not wake up the day after the election and have any regrets about what we could have done in these next nine days,” Harris told the crowd. 

Harris gave a special shoutout to young voters, in particular, praising them for their political activism on climate, gun control and abortion access. 

“Is Gen Z in the house?” the vice president said. “You are rightly impatient for change. You are rightly impatient. You, who have only known the climate crisis — you are leaders in what we need to do to protect our planet.”

“You, who grew up with active shooter drills,” she continued. “You, who right now know fewer rights than your mothers and grandmothers, understand the importance of fighting for the right of a woman to make decisions about her own body and not have her government tell her what to do.”

Harris spent Sunday campaigning throughout the city, which will play a critical role in Democratic turnout within the battleground state. Earlier in the day, Harris visited West Philadelphia where she spoke at the Church of Christian Compassion, a Black church in the neighborhood, and visited a local barbershop. The vice president also made stops at a bookstore specializing in Black history, and a Puerto Rican restaurant. 

“Philadelphia is a very important part of our path to victory,” Harris told reporters. “It’s the reason I have been spending time here.” 

Pennsylvania will likely play a consequential role in the election with its 19 Electoral College votes. The Hill/Decision Desk HQ average shows a razor thin race, with Trump narrowly leading nationally, 48.5 percent to 48.3 percent. 

While Harris spent Sunday in Philadelphia, Trump was preparing to stump at Manhattan’s Madison Square Garden. The event is expected to draw thousands of supporters in deep blue New York City, including a number of Republican lawmakers. While New York City is considered a Democratic stronghold, it is home to a massive media market and in relatively close proximity to a handful of competitive House races.