Halloween yesterday was accompanied by a short notice visitor, Vice President Kamala Harris. With just a few days before Election Day, the Vice President and Democratic nominee visited the Biggest Little City to rally voters in Washoe County, one of the few swing counties within a swing state in the country.
“It is time for a new generation of leadership in America,” she said at a packed Reno Events Center.
“This is someone who is increasingly unstable, obsessed with revenge, consumed with grievance and out for unchecked power,” Harris said, drawing applause and a contrast with her opponent in the presidential race, former Republican President Donald Trump.
“If elected, Donald Trump on Day One would walk into that office with an enemies list — when I am elected, I will walk in with a to-do list,” she said.
“We have an opportunity in this election to turn the page on a decade of Donald Trump trying to keep us divided and afraid of each other,” Harris added. “We’re done with that. We’re exhausted.”
The location of her speech was a shift from previous top of the ticket rallies for Trump and the two vice presidential aspirants which were all held in local casinos. As Harris supporters eagerly awaited her arrival, NevadaVote checked the temperature on whether they were confident or concerned with Election Day just around the corner on Tuesday.
Elyse Robertson poses in front of a concession stand at the Reno Even
“I feel confident,” shared Elyse Robertson (above), a veteran attending the rally as Harris predicted victory. “I think after Sunday that a lot of people saw really just how bad MAGA is, and how scary that is. And how Kamala and the other side is healthy for the nation and healthy politics.”
Robertson was referring to Trump’s controversial Madison Square Garden rally on Sunday in New York City, where opening rally speakers were criticized for racist jokes and other affronts, including the comedian Tony Hinchcliffe calling Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage.”
“Oh, I’m confident. I’ll be concerned the day after if we lose. But in the meantime, I’m staying positive,” said Eloy Hara (in photo below), the business manager of Labor Local 169. Standing with another union worker in custom bright orange Harris t-shirts, Hara spoke to how he is rallying his union not only for Harris, but for Democratic Senate incumbent Jacky Rosen as well.
“We’re, encouraging all of our members, to vote, for, Kamala Harris, Jackie Rosen, and, you know, because we know the way we see the future is they’re going to help us, or she’s going to help us create, new construction, uh, union paying jobs, and that’s why we’re supporting her.”
Hara poses in front of Harris rally line, with shirt reading ¡LIUNA! For Harris Walz Feel The Power. LIUNA stands for Laborers’ International Union of North America
Other Harris rallygoers expressed a mixed bag of confidence and concern. Sue Selle is confident now, but expressed how her feelings have also fluctuated recently.
“I’m feeling really confident. I’ve been concerned, cautiously optimistic, but concerned going into this. But in the last week or so I’ve been feeling a lot more confident,” said Selle, originally from Redding, California. Selle was selling Harris campaign stickers, two for $5, with various slogans on them and a sweatshirt whichread Madam President.
Selle described how her confidence comes from the early ballot returns, and that she also has a “different feeling” about this race.
“I definitely was not feeling this way in 2016. I was, I felt very different, so I think this is a good sign.”
Selle is referencing how in 2016 Trump defeated Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, defying predictions.
Selle poses wearing a ‘Madam President’ sweatshirt, with numerous stickers, with slogans such as “childless cat ladies for Kamala.”
Another attendee feeling conflicted was Lauren who only gave her first name.
“Concerned and confident,” she said, accompanied by an attendee holding a “Republicans Voters Against Trump” sign.
“I can’t, I can’t, can’t, have a bully. I can’t stand the idea of somebody, besides Harris winning, you know. it’s not the people that support him. Some of those people might be good, but he is such a bully,” Lauren said, struggling to speak from being so overcome with emotion.
Warm up speakers included Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto and Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve.
In her remarks, Harris said she was the candidate for freedom, protecting civil rights and making costs affordable again. Harris repeated she would “end a tax on tips for service-workers”, despite NevadaVote reporting on the shortcomings of this policy. It’s also being touted by Trump.
Harris and her supporters chanted about “not going back”, before she exited the stage.