Harris visits battleground Wisconsin in first rally as Democrats coalesce round her for president

Through ZEKE MILLER

WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris is making her first consult with to a battleground state Tuesday after locking up sufficient fortify from Democratic delegates to win her birthday celebration’s nomination to problem Republican former President Donald Trump, two days after President Joe Biden dropped his reelection bid.

Because the Democratic Birthday celebration continues to coalesce round her, Harris is touring to Milwaukee, the place she is going to dangle her first marketing campaign rally since she introduced her marketing campaign on Sunday with Biden’s endorsement. Harris has raised greater than $100 million since Sunday afternoon and has scored the backing of Democratic officers and political teams.

Tuesday’s consult with used to be scheduled ahead of Biden ended his marketing campaign, but it surely took on new resonance as Harris ready to soak up the mantle of her birthday celebration towards Trump and appears to mission calm and self assurance after weeks of Democratic Birthday celebration confusion over Biden’s political long term.

The consult with comes per week after the Republican Nationwide Conference wrapped up within the town and as Harris works to sharpen her message towards the GOP nominee with simply over 100 days till Election Day. Wisconsin is a part of the Democrats’ “blue wall” of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania this is essential to their 2024 plans.

The vp previewed the topics that shall be distinguished in her marketing campaign towards Trump on Monday right through a forestall at her marketing campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, contrasting her time as a prosecutor with Trump’s legal convictions — “I do know Donald Trump’s kind,” she stated — and casting herself as a defender of financial alternative and abortion get right of entry to.

“This election will provide a transparent selection between two other visions. Donald Trump desires to take our nation again to a time ahead of many people had complete freedoms and equivalent rights,” she stated in a remark responding to the AP delegate tally. “I imagine in a long term that strengthens our democracy, protects reproductive freedom and guarantees each individual has the chance not to simply get by means of, however to get forward.”

“I’m thankful to President Biden and everybody within the Democratic Birthday celebration who has already put their religion in me, and I sit up for taking our case without delay to the American folks,” she added.

Through Monday evening, Harris, who additionally ran for president in 2020, had the fortify of neatly greater than the 1,976 delegates she’ll want to win on a primary poll, consistent with the AP tally of delegates. No different candidate used to be named by means of a delegate contacted by means of the AP.

Nonetheless, the AP isn’t calling Harris the brand new presumptive nominee. That’s since the conference delegates are nonetheless loose to vote for the candidate in their selection on the conference in August or if Democrats undergo with a digital roll name forward of that amassing in Chicago.