Kamala Harris' appearance in Luzerne County started early and lasted less than a half hour.
The Democratic presidential nominee, who had been scheduled to speak at 7 p.m. at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, took the stage at 6:20 p.m.
She wrapped up at 6:44 p.m.
In those 24 minutes, Harris vowed to build an economy that gives everyone a chance to own a home, build wealth and start a business in her first trip to northeast Pennsylvania as a presidential candidate.
“I will always put middle-class working people first. It will always be my priority. I know where I come from,” the Oakland, California native shouted as thousands gathered at Wilkes University's McHale Athletic Center.
Her Republican competitor, former President Donald Trump, dominated Luzerne County in his first two bids for the White House.
Like President Joe Biden in 2020, Harris is trying to woo some of Trump’s support in Republican-trending counties like Luzerne to win Pennsylvania, a key to winning the White House. It was only her second visit to a county outside of the state’s most populous and Democratic regions.
During the speech, protesters shouted “Free Palestine” and other support for ending the war in Israel but the crowd routinely drowned them out and Harris kept speaking.
Opening acts
Wilkes-Barre Mayor George Brown was the first to speak Friday. He was greeted by cheers from the hometown crowd at Wilkes University.
“I’m here to enthusiastically support a candidate who has always put people over politics, someone who has fought to get things done for all of us,” he said. “That candidate is Kamala Harris.”
Chants of “Kamala, Kamala” greeted Brown’s statement — he had mispronounced Harris’s first name. The crowd continued to chant until Brown managed to correct himself. The crowd cheered him on.
Brown then introduced the evening’s second speaker, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.
As the governor walked onto the stage, a boisterous, lengthy cheer went up from the crowd as phones and cameras shot up throughout the room.
“What’s up, Wilkes-Barre?” he called over the swell of sound.
Shapiro called Harris a partner for Pennsylvania, mentioning her in company with Senator Bob Casey and Congressman Matt Cartwright, who are also running this year.
Shapiro, a former state attorney general, said he has known Harris, California’s former attorney general, for almost 20 years.
“She is tough as nails, and she's got a big heart, and she is someone who doesn't play,” he said as the crowd of 5,000 or so roared. “We saw that the other night in the debate, right?”
Shapiro said Harris is “battle-tested and ready to go and ready to lead this nation forward.”
Casey also spoke, then Harris was introduced by Mary Grace Vadala, a nurse from Scranton who described herself as a lifelong republican - who will be voting for Harris in November.
As Harris spoke, the crowd often finished her slogan of “We’re not going back.”
She closed by asking the audience, “are we ready to fight?”
They roared, signs waving and phones lighting up.
“When we fight,” she said, “we win.”
See more on this story tonight and Saturday at wvia.org.
