“Do we want to live in a country of freedom, compassion, and rule of law, or a country of chaos, fear, and hate?”
The raucous rally was a notable contrast to the smaller, more subdued events Biden held, underscoring Democrats’ hope that Harris, 59, can revive what had been a flagging campaign under the President, who is 81. The audience danced and waved Harris signs, while chants of “Ka-ma-la!” broke out when she took the stage.
She emphasised her commitment to reproductive rights, an issue that has plagued Republicans since the US Supreme Court – powered by three Trump-appointed justices – eliminated a nationwide right to abortion in 2022.
Harris led Trump by 44% to 42% among registered voters in the national Reuters/Ipsos poll, conducted on Monday and Tuesday, local time, after Biden dropped out of the contest and endorsed Harris as his successor.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll last week showed Biden, before he ended his campaign, trailing Trump by 2%.
Both were within the poll’s three-point margin of error. But the results could signal limited movement in Democrats’ direction – and may suggest that Harris’ elevation to the top of the ticket blunted whatever momentum Trump hoped to gain from last week’s Republican National Convention, also in Milwaukee.
Trump and his allies have tried to tether Harris to some of Biden’s more unpopular policies, including his Administration’s handling of the surge of migrants at the southern border with Mexico.
In a conference call with reporters on Tuesday, Trump expressed confidence in his ability to defeat Harris, noting that her previous presidential run in 2020 did not even survive until the first statewide nominating contest.
Trump offered to debate Harris multiple times. Trump and Biden had one more debate scheduled on September 10 after their encounter on June 27. Biden’s poor performance that night led to Democratic calls for him to step aside.
“I want to debate her, and she’ll be no different because they have the same policies,” Trump said.
Harris swiftly consolidated her party’s support after Biden abandoned his re-election campaign under pressure from members of his party worried about his ability to beat Trump, 78, or to serve for another four-year term.
She all but wrapped up the nomination on Monday night by winning pledges from a majority of the delegates who will determine the nominee at next month’s party convention, the campaign said.
Her campaign said it had raised US$100 million ($168m) since Biden’s bombshell announcement that he was standing down from the race.
Most Democratic lawmakers have lined up behind her candidacy, including the party’s leaders in the Senate and House, Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries, who endorsed Harris on Tuesday at a joint press conference.
Biden said on X, formerly Twitter, that he would deliver a Wednesday night Oval Office speech explaining his decision to end his campaign. He returned to Washington on Tuesday after spending several days isolating at home with Covid-19. The President has tested negative and no longer has symptoms, the White House doctor said in a letter on Tuesday.
Biden’s dramatic exit followed Trump’s narrow survival of a July 13 assassination attempt that raised questions about security failures in the US Secret Service. The agency director, Kimberly Cheatle, resigned on Tuesday.
