By EFE
31 Jul 2024, 07:43 AM EDT
Los Angeles – US Vice President and Democratic candidate for the White House, Kamala Harris, called on former Republican President Donald Trump (2017-2021) to face her in a presidential debate, this Tuesday during a campaign event in Atlanta, in the key state of Georgia.
“The momentum in this race is shifting, and there are signs that Donald Trump is sensing it (…) I hope you will reconsider meeting me on the debate stage, because, as the saying goes: if you have something to say to me, say it to my face,” Harris told an audience of 10,000 people in a packed stadium.
Trump has expressed doubts about holding the second presidential debate scheduled for September 10, so the Democratic candidate used the stage at Georgia State University to put pressure on the former president.
Harris, who was named the Democratic presidential nominee just nine days ago and could be confirmed in the coming days, was greeted with applause and uncontrolled shouts of support from the audience who eagerly awaited her speech.
The Democratic candidate began her speech by reviewing her professional career as a senator and placing special emphasis on the work she did as attorney general and district attorney.
“In those roles, I faced off against criminals of all stripes: predators who abused women; scammers who ripped off consumers; cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain. So hear me when I say that I know Donald Trump,” Harris said.
The vice president addressed issues such as immigration – considered one of the weak points of her campaign – and inflation, and reiterated that her vision for the country was “toward the future” and not the “past” like that of the Republicans.
He also promised to restore abortion access, expand voting rights and ban assault weapons.
“We have a fight in front of us, and we are the underdogs in this race. We are, but this is a people-driven campaign,” said Harris, who has aroused such fervor that she has already raised $200 million and gathered some 170,000 volunteers for her campaign.
Also present at Tuesday’s rally were rapper Quavo and singer Megan Thee Stallion, who prepared the ground before Harris faced the public with a speech and a musical act focused on African-American voters, key to winning the state, which the latest polls place in a virtual tie with Trump.
After Biden dropped out of the re-election race on July 21 and called for a vote for Harris in November, the candidate has given new impetus to the Democrats’ electoral fight, even managing to lead polls in some key presidential states.
According to a report by Morning Consult published on Tuesday, Harris leads Trump by a wide margin in Michigan, with 53% support to 42%; she also leads, but with lesser differences, in Arizona, Nevada and Wisconsin, while Trump leads Harris in Pennsylvania (50% support to 46%) and North Carolina, and both are tied in Georgia.
The Democratic Party is expected to formalize Harris’ presidential nomination at a virtual delegate meeting ahead of the party’s national convention in mid-August.
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