Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party’s candidate for the upcoming presidential election in the United States, held her first voter rally alongside her vice-presidential candidate, Tim Walz. The event took place in Pennsylvania, where Harris described their campaign as a “fight for our future.” The two took the stage to Beyoncé’s hit “Freedom,” just hours after Harris had announced Walz, the Governor of Minnesota, as her running mate.

The Democrats are hopeful that Walz’s down-to-earth background will resonate with voters in key swing states in the Midwest, including Wisconsin and Michigan. Harris presented Walz as “a leader who will help unite our nation and move us forward, a champion for the middle class, a patriot who, like me, believes in the extraordinary promise of America.” Harris, who previously served as a prosecutor in California, is working to contrast her own past in law enforcement with the criminal history of her Republican opponent, Donald Trump.

“This campaign – our campaign – is not just a fight against Donald Trump. Our campaign – this campaign – is a fight for the future,” she told the approximately 10,000 attendees present.

Walz, 60 years old, launched attacks on Trump, accusing him of “mocking our laws” and sowing “division and chaos.” “He froze in the face of the COVID crisis, he drove our economy into the ground, and violent crime rose under Donald Trump,” Walz said, prompting laughter and applause from the audience. He also criticized Republicans for seeking restrictions on women’s reproductive rights, a topic that has troubled the party since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned women’s right to abortion in 2022.

“Even if we wouldn’t make the same decision for ourselves, there’s a golden rule: mind your own business!” said Walz, earning a standing ovation from the crowd.

The joint appearance of Harris and Walz provided insight into how they plan to appeal to voters – Harris, a groundbreaking Black and South Asian former senator from California, alongside Walz, a white former congressman from the heart of working America. The Pennsylvania event was the first stop on a multi-day campaign tour through critical states vital for election victory: Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona, and Nevada.

Trump and his vice-presidential candidate, Senator JD Vance, quickly reacted to the new competition, labeling them “the most radical left ticket in American history.”

While most voters will make their choice on November 5 based on the presidential candidate, the selection of a vice-presidential candidate can both strengthen and weaken the ticket’s chances depending on their background, popularity in their home state, and ability to attract important voter groups. Walz, who has maintained a relatively low profile as a politician, has represented a rural district in southern Minnesota in the U.S. Congress for 12 years. He first became governor of the state in 2018 and was re-elected four years later. Although Minnesota is not traditionally a Democratic stronghold, he won both elections with ease. During his tenure, he has received approval for policies such as free school meals for low-income students, goals for combating climate change, tax relief for the middle class, and expanded paid leave for workers.

Walz, who was chosen as the vice-presidential candidate over more prominent names like Pennsylvania’s popular governor Josh Shapiro, spoke about his upbringing in the small town of Butte, Nebraska, where he worked on the family farm and where community was a “way of life,” with neighbors striving together “for the common good.” He also praised Harris for her work and career. “She has fought predators and fraudsters, dismantled transnational gangs, and stood up to powerful corporate interests,” Walz stated. “And she has never hesitated to reach across the aisle if it could improve people’s lives… And she does it all with a sense of joy.”

Harris’s first joint appearance with her new vice-presidential candidate comes ahead of the Democratic Party’s convention in Chicago, which starts on August 19. The lively rally served as a significant reminder of how racial dynamics have shifted since 81-year-old President Joe Biden succumbed to growing concerns over his age and withdrew from the race while endorsing Harris.

Polls indicate that Harris has closed the gap on the lead Trump established against Biden. Harris’s campaign has reported that it has raised over 20 million dollars following the announcement of Walz as her vice-presidential candidate. Biden described the Harris-Walz ticket as “a strong voice for workers and America’s great middle class.”