‘Dangerous’: Trump’s escalating 2024 election rhetoric criticized by officials, experts
(WASHINGTON) — On the presidential debate stage, Donald Trump was given an opportunity to acknowledge he lost the 2020 election. He did not take it.
ABC News moderator David Muir read aloud recent quotes from the former president in which he appeared to admit being defeated by President Joe Biden, including last week when he said he “lost by a whisker.”
“I said that?” Trump responded. He went on to say that such remarks were sarcastic and that he did not, in fact, accept his loss.
Trump’s false claims and grievances about the 2020 race have long been a central theme of his third campaign for the White House. But recently, his rhetoric’s escalated to threats to prosecute election workers and attempts to sow doubt on the 2024 outcome before a single vote has been cast.
In a social media post over the weekend, Trump pledged to jail election workers, donors, lawyers and others “involved in unscrupulous behavior” related to voting in the 2024 election if he wins. They’d be prosecuted, he said, under his scrutiny and “at levels, unfortunately, never seen before in our Country.”
Election officials and law experts condemned the statement as irresponsible and damaging at a time when public servants charged with overseeing elections face increased threats and harassment.
“The remarks are despicable and dangerous,” Richard Hasen, a law professor at the University of California, told ABC News.
“The continued claims of cheating are unsupported by any reliable evidence — but they will cause millions of people to continue to believe the false claims that U.S. elections are rigged,” Hasen said. “After Jan. 6, 2021, a responsible person would be more circumspect with rhetoric about elections and cheating. Donald Trump is doubling down.”
Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, a Democrat whose state was an epicenter of false claims of fraud in 2020, similarly worried about the impact of Trump’s statements.
“It makes me concerned that this will set other people off. I think the one thing that we’ve seen before is that words have consequences and meaning,” Fontes told ABC News. “And while we are concerned, we are also prepared. Elections officials across the country have been working with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to monitor and track threats, to make sure we’re keeping our voters safe and make sure we’re keeping our elections officials safe.”
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat who experienced protests at her home after Trump’s 2020 loss, said her duty is to “rise above the noise and continue to ensure our elections are fair, secure, accessible, and that the results are accurate.”
The Pennsylvania Department of State, noting it conducts two audits after every election, told ABC News it was “confident in the integrity of county officials and election administrators across the Commonwealth, despite irresponsible statements that are not based in fact or supported by evidence.”
Several secretaries of state, including Benson and Fontes, were on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to testify on their 2024 election preparations.
Asked for comment on the concern from officials, Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said, “President Trump believes anyone who breaks the law should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, including criminals who engage in election fraud. Without free and fair elections, you can’t have a country. Ask Venezuela.”
Trump’s allegations of fraud in the 2020 election were debunked by his own administration officials. Dozens of legal challenges brought by his campaign or his allies in battleground states failed in the courts.
But the impact of the efforts to overturn results were tangible on election officials and poll workers.
Lawrence Norden, vice president of elections and government at the Brennan Center for Justice, earlier this year reported a survey of local election officials across the U.S. found 38% reported experiencing threats, harassment or abuse. Fifty-four percent said they were concerned about the safety of their colleagues. In some cases, Norden said, offices reported installing bullet proof glass or provided extra security training to staff. Some have left their positions altogether.
Norden said it was “very frustrating” to see Trump’s comments after the steps taken by election workers to bring down the temperature these past four years, including efforts to combat misinformation and to improve transparency.
“Any political leader, and certainly somebody running for president of the United States, implying that election officials could be prosecuted is potentially doing two things,” he said. “It’s not going to change the behavior of any election worker or election official, but it’s potentially encouraging further threats or violence, and it is laying the groundwork to potentially undermine or question election results that you don’t like later on.”
In addition to his threat to prosecute election workers, Trump has repeatedly accused Democrats of staging a “coup” in nominating Vice President Kamala Harris after Biden dropped out of the race. He’s sent mixed messaging on voting methods, at times encouraging his supporters to vote in any way possible and at other times baselessly claiming mail-in ballots are ripe for abuse, despite using a mail ballot in Florida’s 2020 primary. He’s said a focus of his campaign is to make sure Democrats don’t “cheat.”
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When asked during the CNN debate in June if he would commit to accepting the November outcome, he only said: “If it’s a fair and legal and good election, absolutely.”
(WASHINGTON) — Vice President Kamala Harris is the presumptive Democratic nominee in the 2024 election, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) announced Tuesday night.
Harris was the only candidate to qualify for the Democratic party’s presidential nominating ballot, the party said.
Across the country, 3,923 delegates petitioned to make Harris the Democratic nominee, according to the DNC, which noted Harris secured the support of 99% of participating delegates.
The virtual roll call to make Harris the official Democratic nominee will begin Thursday, Aug. 1, and will end on Monday, Aug. 5.
The news of her presumed nomination comes after Harris took the stage at her Atlanta rally on Tuesday, marking her 15th trip to Georgia since taking office and her first trip to the battleground state since launching her own presidential bid.
“The path to the White House runs right through this state,” Harris said of Georgia, adding, “You all helped us win in 2020, and we’re going to do it again in 2024.”
Harris called out former President Donald Trump for refusing to honor his commitment to the upcoming presidential debate, which ABC News will host in September.
“Well, Donald,” she said with a smirk as the crowd of more than 10,000 erupted in applause and cheers.
“I do hope you’ll reconsider to meet me on the debate stage because as the saying goes, if you’ve got something to say … say it to my face,” Harris said pointing to her face, with a huge grin.
Harris addressed topics from immigration policy, where she vowed to pass a bipartisan immigration bill if elected, to strengthening the middle class and lowering the costs of essential items.
“On day one, I will take on price gouging and bring down costs,” Harris said. “We will ban more of those hidden fees and surprise late charges that banks and other companies use to pad their profits. We will take on corporate landlords and cap unfair rent increases. And we will take on big pharma to cap prescription drug costs for all Americans.”
Harris was joined by Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, former Rep. Stacey Abrams, and several other special guests, including Migos rapper Quavo and a graduate of Morehouse College, a historically Black university.
Rapper Megan Thee Stallion performed at the Atlanta rally, getting the crowd energized with a performance of her hit song “Savage” and praising Harris as the would-be first Black, female president.
On a call with reporters ahead of her trip, Harris’ campaign said Georgia, a formerly red state that voted blue in the last presidential election, is still “in play.”
“The vice president is energizing and mobilizing our base,” said Dan Kanninen, the campaign’s battleground states director. “Having a candidate who can mobilize our key Biden-Harris coalition, talking about the issues that resonate with Georgians … make that state in play.”
Since President Joe Biden announced earlier this month that he was leaving the 2024 race, Harris has secured commitments from enough delegates to become the presumptive nominee if they all honor their commitment when voting, according to ABC News reporting.
The trip to Georgia comes as the campaign reported raising $200 million in less than a week since Biden dropped his reelection bid and endorsed Harris. The campaign is also boasting 170,000 new volunteers who have signed up to back Harris. This past weekend to commemorate the 100-day mark from November’s election, the campaign hosted 2,300 events across the battleground states with more than 29,000 volunteers participating.
Harris’ remarks at the rally followed a meeting with local reproductive rights leaders and activists.
Georgia played a crucial role in Biden’s 2020 victory, going blue for the first time since 1992 due, in significant part, to organizing efforts from Abrams, who spent years spearheading get-out-the-vote efforts in Black communities. Harris’ campaign will be looking to replicate success in Georgia by shoring up support among Black voters, a key group of voters that both Harris and Trump will work to connect with as the November election approaches.
Biden only won the state by some 12,000 votes in 2020, a win heavily contested by Trump, who is currently in the midst of an election interference case in the state. Trump hasn’t held a campaign event in Georgia since his debate with Biden in June.
Kanninen said that although the Harris campaign has achieved an impressive fundraising haul in a short amount of time, they are not getting “comfortable.”
“I continue to be very clear with our partners and with our own staff. This campaign will not get comfortable. We jumped in with just 100 days ago against an opponent who has shown he’s willing to do anything to win,” said Kannien. “This is going to be an incredibly close race just like it was in 2020. But just like four years ago, we are going to win this thing.”
The Harris campaign told reporters they expect the state to be just as “competitive” this election, claiming that their infrastructure in the state gives them an advantage.
“We expect it to be as close as competitive this year,” said Communications Director Michael Tyler. “That’s why we have the team and the operation in place to make sure that we can turn out every single Harris voter in the state of Georgia.”
According to the campaign, they have more than 170 coordinated staff and 24 offices across the state with three of those opening this past weekend. The Trump campaign only recently opened its first campaign office in the state in June.
“We’re making these investments across the entire map because the data is clear. We have multiple pathways to 270 electoral votes,” said Kanninen. “The vice president is strong in both the blue wall and in the Sun Belt and we are running hard in both.”
(WASHINGTON) — Vice President Kamala Harris secured enough Democratic Party delegate votes to become the party’s nominee, according to the Democratic National Committee. She announced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate on Tuesday, with the two scheduled to embark on a seven-state trip to some of the biggest battleground states in the election, according to her campaign.
President Donald Trump and his vice presidential pick, Sen. JD Vance, are set to speak to voters through scheduled rallies and events throughout the week, too. Vance will also be visiting the same battleground states as Harris and her newly minted vice presidential pick.
Here’s how the news is developing:
Harris and Walz to hold rallies in Wisconsin, Michigan Wednesday
Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz are scheduled Wednesday to hold rallies in Wisconsin and Michigan, bringing their “vision for the future” to two battleground states on their first full day of campaigning together.
“Together, they will highlight the choice facing Blue Wall voters between the Trump-Vance agenda to weaken unions and give tax cuts to the wealthy on the backs of the middle class, and the Harris-Walz vision for the future, where everyone has the opportunity not just to get by, but to get ahead,” the Harris campaign said.
At their midday stop in Wisconsin, the pair will be joined by Gov. Tony Evers and Sen. Tammy Baldwin.
The pair will then travel to Wayne County Airport in Michigan for an evening rally, the campaign said. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan will join them, the campaign said.
“Their visits come on the heels of over a dozen labor endorsements, including last week’s endorsement from UAW — which represents more than 130,000 members in Michigan alone,” the campaign said.
JD Vance cancels North Carolina rallies due to Tropical Storm Debby
Sen. JD Vance will not be making appearances in North Carolina Thursday, due to the forecast of Tropical Storm Debby in the state, the Trump-Vance campaign said in a statement Tuesday.
Vance had two scheduled rallies in Raleigh and Oakboro.
“The Trump-Vance campaign will be rescheduling these events in North Carolina as soon as possible,” the campaign said.
Harris-Walz campaign says it raised over $20 million since running mate announcement
Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s campaign announcement has proven to be a fundraising success, according to a statement from the campaign Tuesday.
The Harris-Walz campaign says it has raised more than $20 million since this morning’s announcement of Walz joining Harris on the Democratic ticket in November.
Walz says he ‘can’t wait’ to debate JD Vance: ‘These guys are creepy’
Gov. Walz came out hard against former President Donald Trump and his running mate Sen. JD Vance during his first campaign rally speech as Harris’ vice presidential pick.
“Donald Trump’s not fighting for you or your family,” Walz said. He never sat at that kitchen table, like the one I grew up at, wondering how we were going to pay the bills. He sat at his country club in Mar a Lago wondering how he can cut taxes for his rich friends,” Walz added.
Turning his attention to Vance, Walz said, “His running mate shares his dangerous and backward agenda for this country.”
“I got to tell you, I can’t wait to debate the guy,” Walz continued, quipping, “That is, if he’s willing to get off the couch and show up.”
Calling out the Republican ticket, Walz added, “These guys are creepy. And yeah, it’s just weird as hell.”
Harris and Walz are officially the Democratic nominees: DNC
As Harris and Walz took the stage in Philadelphia, the Democratic National Committee announced they are officially the Democratic nominees for president and vice president.
“Vice President Harris and Governor Tim Walz officially accepted the nominations today, following the close of delegate voting on Monday, August 5th and the official certification of the roll call by Convention Secretary Jason Rae. Convention Chair Minyon Moore then certified Governor Walz as her running mate,” according to the statement from DNC Chair Jaime Harrison and DNCC Chair Minyon Moore.
Harris addressed the nomination at the campaign rally, saying, “I stand before you today to proudly announce I am now, officially, the Democratic nominee for president of the United States.”
Harris praises Walz’s background in politics and teaching: ‘Our values are the same’
During their first joint campaign rally, Vice President Kamala Harris introduced her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and touted his progressive record as state governor, his background as a high school teacher and football coach and a U.S. military sergeant.
“Since the day that I announced my candidacy, I set out to find a partner who can help build this brighter future. A leader who will help unite our nation and move us forward. A fighter for the middle class. A patriot who believes as I do in the extraordinary promise of America,” Harris of her search for a VP pick.
“Tim is more than a governor. To his wife, Gwen, he is a husband. To his kids, Hope and Gus, he is a dad. To his fellow veterans, he is Sgt. Major Walz, to the people of Southern Minnesota for 12 years, he was congressman. To his former high school students, he was Mr. Walz. And to his former high school football players, he was coach,” Harris said.
“Coach Walz and I may hail from different corners of this great country,” Harris continued, “But our values are the same.”
Harris and Walz take the stage in Philadelphia in first joint campaign rally
Vice President Kamala Harris and her newly announced running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, were met with loud applause and cheers in Philadelphia as they made their first joint appearance.
That massive crowd gave Harris and Walz a long standing ovation as they took the stage to the song “Freedom” by Beyoncé.
Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks ahead of 1st joint Harris-Walz rally
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has taken to the stage and is speaking in Philadelphia ahead of the first joint Harris-Walz rally.
Walz to tout his record, Harris’ strengths as prosecutor during campaign rally: Excerpts
Gov. Tim Walz will tout Vice President Kamala Harris’ history as a prosecutor, senator and vice president at their joint rally tonight in Philadelphia, according to excerpts from his speech that were released ahead of the event.
“She took on predators and fraudsters, took down transnational gangs, stood up against powerful corporate interests, she’s never hesitated to reach across the aisle if it meant improving people’s lives. And — she brings joy to everything she does,” the excepts read.
The governor is also expected to speak about his experiences from his days as a teacher to legislating as an elected official.
“These same values I learned on the family farm and tried to instill in my students, I took to Congress and the state capital, and now, Vice President Harris and I are running to take them to the White House,” the excerpts read.
“Donald Trump — he sees the world differently. He doesn’t know the first thing about service — because he’s too busy serving himself,” the excerpts read.
-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim
Walz, during vetting process, said he never used a teleprompter before: Source
Tim Walz said during the VP vetting process that he had never used a teleprompter before, according to source familiar.
The governor practiced using one before his remarks tonight to be comfortable using it during the joint rally with Kamala Harris in Philadelphia, according to the source.
CNN first reported the teleprompter detail.
-ABC News’ Selina Wang
Walz arrives in Philadelphia: ‘Hello Philly!’
Minnesota Gov. Tim Waz has arrived in Philadelphia ahead of his rally tonight with Vice President Kamala Harris.
He posted a video to X and wrote, “Hello Philly!”
-ABC News’ Will McDuffie, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow and Isabella Murray
Harris campaign says it raised more than $10M since Walz announcement
The Harris-Walz ticket has raised more than $10 million since this morning’s reveal of Tim Walz as the vice president’s running mate, the campaign said in a release, making it “one of the campaign’s best fundraising days this cycle.”
Lauren Hitt, a spokeswoman, added that Pennsylvania’s top elected officials will join the pair at their Philadelphia rally tonight.
Sens. John Fetterman and Bob Casey are expected to speak, as is Gov. Josh Shapiro, who had been one of the contenders to be Harris’ running mate.
-ABC News’ Will McDuffie, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim and Fritz Farrow
DNC calls Walz the ‘presumptive nominee for vice president’
The Democratic National Committee, in a post on X, called Tim Walz the “presumptive nominee for Vice President.”
“Kamala Harris has selected Governor Tim Walz to be the presumptive Democratic nominee for vice president of the United States,” the party wrote, with a graphic of it’s “official Democratic ticket.”
-ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim, Isabella Murray and Brittany Shepherd
Harris releases video of phone call with Walz
Vice President Kamala Harris released a video showing her speaking with Gov. Tim Walz about being her running mate.
Harris is seen speaking on a cellphone with Walz, who is dressed in a T-shirt, khakis and a camouflage-colored baseball cap, alerting him that he would be her pick.
“The joy that you’re bringing back to the country, the enthusiasm that’s out there it will be a privilege to take this with you across the country,” Walz says in the video.
Bill Clinton: ‘Tim Walz has walked the walk’
Former President Bill Clinton praised Gov. Tim Walz’s record on Tuesday afternoon.
“Kamala Harris made a terrific choice with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. His resume speaks for itself,” he said in a statement posted on X.
“Tim Walz has walked the walk, and he’ll be a great vice president,” Clinton added.
Harris’ VP decision ‘stark contrast to Donald Trump’s choice’, Jeffries says
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries released a statement Tuesday praising Gov. Tim Walz after he was picked by Vice President Kamala Harris as her running mate, commending his years of work as a National Guardsman, teacher, House member and governor.
“Throughout his years of public service, including as the top Democrat on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Tim has been a consistent champion on the issues that matter most for everyday Americans,” Jeffries, D-N.Y., said.
“Vice President Harris’ decision is a stark contrast to Donald Trump’s choice,” Jeffries added.
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
Vance says he wants to debate Walz after he is officially VP nominee
When asked if he’s willing to debate Gov. Tim Walz, Sen. JD Vance said he wants to but is going to wait until Walz is the official vice presidential nominee.
“I absolutely want to debate Tim Walz, but I want to debate him, actually, after he’s actually officially the nominee, and I did call him and congratulate him and offered him my best wishes. I think that’s the polite thing to do,” he said.
-ABC News’ Soo Rin Kim, Hannah Demissie, Lalee Ibssa and Kelsey Walsh
Clyburn says Walz will be a ‘strong partner’ for Harris
Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., said in a statement that Gov. Tim Walz has “unparalleled experience” and will be a “strong partner for Kamala Harris.”
“My former House colleague [Tim Walz] will be a strong partner for [Kamala Harris],” he wrote on X.
“As a Governor, veteran, and former public school teacher, his unparalleled experience informs a deep understanding of the issues that matter most to the American people.”
“I look forward to working with this outstanding team toward victory in November,” he added.
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
Manchin says Walz ‘will bring normality back to the most chaotic political environment’
West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin wrote in a statement on X that “I can think of no one better than Governor Walz to help bring our country closer together and bring balance back to the Democratic Party.”
“My friend Governor Tim Walz will bring normality back to the most chaotic political environment that most of us have ever seen,” he said, in part, also calling him “the real deal.”
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
RFK Jr. criticizes Walz as VP pick
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote on X that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz being picked as Harris’ running mate means that “America’s political divide sharpens.”
“He called Trump supporters ‘fascist’ and ‘weird,’ and they in turn are calling him worse than that,” he said.
-ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim
Walz ‘going to bring something else to this ticket in a big way,’ Klobuchar says
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar spoke to ABC News Live about her reaction Gov. Tim Walz being selected as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate.
The senator called Walz a “close friend,” and said Harris chose the governor for several major reasons.
“She had someone in Tim Walz that one, she trusted, [and] two, she saw as someone that is going to bring something else to this ticket in a big way,” Klobuchar said.
The Minnesota senator, who describes Tim Walz as a “close friend,” gave her thoughts on Vice President Kamala Harris picking the Minnesota governor as her running mate.
The senator said Walz’s experiences as a veteran, teacher, Congress member and governor help the ticket.
“I just like Tim Walz. He is a good leader, he has shown he can get things done across the aisle,” she said.
When asked about the criticism Walz received over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, Klobuchar said, “We came out of it strong.”
Klobuchar also addressed the criticism Walz received over the 2020 George Floyd protests, reiterating that the governor embraced peaceful protests but called in the National Guard when they got violent.
“I would like to add, he was someone when the ‘defund the police’ ballot measure was on the ballot in the city of Minneapolis, both of us strongly opposed the measure. He added funding for the police,” she said. “You will see someone who has actually stood with law enforcement and made some tough decisions.”
Vance says he left Walz a voicemail, claims Harris’ pick highlights how ‘radical’ she is
Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance responded to the news of Gov. Tim Walz being tapped as Kamala Harris’ running mate, claiming the decision highlights how “radical” Harris is.
“Obviously, the big news of the day is that Tim Walz has been nominated as the VP or is now the presumptive nominee, I should say, for Kamala Harris … My view on it is it just highlights how radical Kamala Harris is,” Vance said.
Vice presidential candidate JD Vance spoke to reporters in Philadelphia about Kamala Harris’ choice for running mate.
When asked by ABC News’ Hannah Demissie if he had been in contact with Walz, Vance said he called Walz but the governor didn’t answer, so he left a voicemail.
“I didn’t get him, but I just said, ‘Look, congratulations. Look forward to a robust conversation and enjoy the ride,’ And maybe he’ll call me back, maybe he won’t,” Vance said.
-ABC News Lalee Ibssa
Biden spoke with Harris, Walz separately today, White House says
President Joe Biden spoke with Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday morning before she announced that Gov. Tim Walz would be her running mate, the White House said in a statement.
“The President also spoke with Governor Walz to congratulate him on his selection,” White House Senior Deputy Press Secretary Emilie Simons said in a statement.
-ABC News’ Justin Gomez
Harris told Walz they are ‘underdogs’ but is confident they have winning message: Source
Vice President Kamala Harris told Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in a phone call this morning that they are the “underdogs” in this race, but she’s confident that together they have a winning message on reducing costs for the middle class and protecting freedom, a source close to the process told ABC News.
The source added that chemistry was a big piece of Harris’ decision to select Walz.
Harris notified her team this morning that she wanted to inform Walz and the other candidates, the source said, adding that the final decision and execution was done Tuesday morning.
-ABC News’ Selina Wang
Obama praises Tim Walz as VP pick
Former President Barack Obama released a lengthy statement on X congratulating Gov. Tim Walz for being selected as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate.
“[Tim Walz] believes that government works to serve us. Not just some of us, but all of us. That’s what makes him an outstanding governor, and that’s what will make him an even better vice president,” he wrote.
“By selecting Tim Walz to be her vice president from a pool of outstanding Democrats, Kamala Harris has chosen an ideal partner — and made it clear exactly what she stands for,” Obama said.
Pete Buttigieg praises Tim Walz as VP pick
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who was considered as a potential Harris running mate, praised Tim Walz in a statement posted on X, calling him an “effective governor — and also great to work with.”
“I’m excited for what his Midwestern voice, military experience, and common-sense values will bring to our winning ticket, and for everything the Harris-Walz administration will deliver for Americans,” he said.
-ABC News’ Tommy Barone
Gov. Andy Beshear throws full support behind Harris-Walz ticket
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who was also a vice presidential contender, said it was an honor to be considered for the 2024 ticket but threw his full support behind his “great friend” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
“I fully support this new ticket and will work to elect [Kamala Harris] as our next President of the United States,” Beshear said in a statement on X.
-ABC News’ Minnie Noah
Minnesota senators react to Walz as VP pick
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar wrote on X that Walz has been an “incredible leader.”
“Minnesota is known as the land of Vice Presidents, and we’ve got another great one on the way! As a veteran, a high school teacher and football coach, and our Minnesota Governor, Tim Walz has been an incredible leader (and on top of that, a good friend). Let’s go win this!” Klobuchar wrote.
Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith posted a photo of her and Walz eating donuts together, writing: “DONUT count Minnesota out. Congratulations, Governor Walz!”
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly reacts to Harris-Walz ticket
Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, who made the veepstakes short list, wrote on X that Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz “are going to move us forward.”
“They’re already building a campaign to unite our country — and [Gabby Giffords] and I are ready to do everything we can to help them win.”
-ABC News’ Tommy Barone
Walz says it’s ‘the honor of a lifetime’: ‘I’m all in’
Gov. Tim Walz posted on X on Tuesday, saying he’s “all in” on his new role as Harris’ VP pick.
“It is the honor of a lifetime to join [Kamala Harris] in this campaign. I’m all in. Vice President Harris is showing us the politics of what’s possible. It reminds me a bit of the first day of school. So, let’s get this done, folks! Join us,” he wrote, also linking to a donation page.
-ABC News’ Brittany L. Shepherd and Fritz Farrow
Shapiro expresses support for Harris-Walz ticket
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro posted on X about Vice President Harris’ choice of Tim Walz as a running mate, saying it was “a deeply personal decision for the Vice President — and a deeply personal decision for me.”
“Pennsylvanians elected me to a four-year term as their Governor, and my work here is far from finished — there is a lot more stuff I want to get done for the good people of this Commonwealth,” he wrote, in part, in a statement.
“Over the next 90 days, I look forward to traveling all across the Commonwealth to unite Pennsylvanians behind my friends Kamala Harris and Tim Walz and defeat Donald Trump,” he said. “See you tonig
Harris announces Walz as VP pick on Instagram
Vice President Kamala Harris took to Instagram to announce Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice presidential running mate. Her X page was also updated with a new social wrap that highlights her vice presidential pick, along with a new poster that features the two.
“I am proud to announce that I’ve asked [Gov. Tim Walz] to be my running mate,” Harris wrote on Instagram.
“One of the things that stood out to me about Tim is how his convictions on fighting for middle class families run deep. It’s personal,” she continued.
“He grew up in a small town in Nebraska, spending summers working on his family’s farm. His father died of cancer when he was 19, and his family relied on Social Security survivor benefit checks to make ends meet. At 17, he enlisted in the National Guard, serving for 24 years. He used his GI Bill benefits to go to college, and become a teacher. He served as both the football coach and the advisor of the Gay-Straight Alliance,” Harris wrote.
“I share this background both because it’s impressive in its own right, and because you see in no uncertain terms how it informs his record. He worked with Republicans to pass infrastructure investments. He cut taxes for working families. He passed a law to provide paid family and medical leave to Minnesotan families,” she continued. “He made Minnesota the first state in the country to pass a law providing constitutional abortion protections after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and as an avid hunter, he passed a bill requiring universal background checks for gun purchases.”
“But what impressed me most about Tim is his deep commitment to his family: Gwen, Gus, and Hope. Doug and I look forward to working with him and Gwen to build an administration that reflects our shared values,” she said.
-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow and Will McDuffie
Trump campaign fundraising email from JD Vance says ‘I will wipe the floor with Tim Walz’
The Trump campaign sent a fundraising email from Sen. JD Vance on Tuesday with the subject line, “I will wipe the floor with Tim Walz.”
“I have three words for Tim Walz: Bring. It. On,” the fundraising email says.
-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa
Josh Shapiro to attend Harris rally in Philadelphia tonight
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro will attend tonight’s rally in Philadelphia and “will do everything he can” to support the Harris-Walz ticket, someone familiar with the campaign’s thinking told ABC News.
-ABC News’ Will McDuffie
Rep. Dean Phillips, Biden primary opponent, said he’s ‘thrilled’ by Walz news
Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips, who was one of President Joe Biden’s few primary challengers this cycle, said in a post on X on Tuesday morning that he was “thrilled” by the reports that his “friend” Tim Walz would be Kamala Harris’ VP pick.
“I’m thrilled by reports that my friend and governor will be America’s next Vice President,” Phillips posted, along with a photo of them together.
“Tim is a common-sense, competent and experienced leader whose refreshing normal-ness will be a great contrast to the tiresome weirdness. Let’s go!” he wrote.
Walz and Phillips never served in the House of Representatives together. Walz left his 1st Congressional District seat in 2019, when Phillips was coming in to serve the 3rd District.
Phillips has endorsed Harris’ White House bid.
-ABC News’ Isabella Murray
Rep. Ilhan Omar congratulates Walz
Progressive Minnesota Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar congratulated her state’s governor on Tuesday.
“Our North Star state Governor has signed universal school meals, paid family and sick leave, marijuana legalization, and protections for reproductive rights into law,” she wrote on X, also sharing a photo of the two.
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
Pelosi applauds Walz, but says ‘to characterize him as left is so unreal’
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reacted on “Morning Joe” to the news that Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to pick Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, saying: “Tim Walz is wonderful, and she had many good choices.”
“Tim Walz, I know very well. He served in the House. To characterize him as left is so unreal. It’s just not — he’s right down the middle. He is a heartland of America Democrat. He was the chair of our Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and I don’t want anybody to forget that — he made tremendous, tremendous gains for our veterans,” Pelosi said.
“We made more progress that has ever been made in the history of our country since the GI Bill under his leadership,” she continued.
Pelosi complimented his background and credentials, including serving in the National Guard.
“So, he brings the security credential. He brings the rural credential. And he will do in rural America,” Pelosi said.
“So it’s really mystifying to me to see someone that I worked with, shall we say, right down the middle characterized on the left in his regard. He has [Harris’] confidence obviously,” she added.
“[Walz] has a great vision for our country. It is about working-class families, about rural America, about our veterans. He has won for governor two times in Minnesota,” Pelosi added.
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
Minnesota Rep. Betty McCollum calls Walz a ‘rock-solid Democrat’
Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., praised Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday, calling him a “rock-solid Democrat.”
“Tim Walz is my friend and a former colleague whose Midwest values are rooted in selfless service to our nation, caring for his neighbors, and inspiring students, soldiers and citizens to stand together, dream bigger and never give up,” she said in a statement, reacting to the news that Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to pick the Minnesota governor as her running mate.
“Tim is a rock-solid Democrat, a teacher, a football coach, a veteran and a leader who will defend our freedoms and will work to improve the lives of all Americans in every corner of our country,” she said.
-ABC News’ John Parkinson
Trump reacts to news Harris is poised to pick Tim Walz
Donald Trump on Tuesday reacted to the news that Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to pick Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate.
Trump, in a campaign email, claimed Walz “would be the worst VP in history” and said the governor was “even worse” than Harris.
The pro-Trump super PAC MAGA Inc., a separate entity from the Trump campaign, also released a statement, claiming Walz and Harris are “both far-left radicals that don’t know how to govern.”
-ABC News’ Rick Klein, Soorin Kim, Lalee Ibssa and Kelsey Walsh
Majority Whip Tom Emmer, a Republican, reacts to Walz poised to be Harris’ VP pick
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota, a Republican, criticized Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who is poised to be Harris’ pick for vice president.
In a post on X, Emmer said, “It’s not surprising @KamalaHarris picked Tim Walz to be her running mate — he embodies the same disastrous economic, open-borders, and soft-on-crime policies Harris has inflicted on our country the last four years.”
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller
Harris poised to pick Tim Walz as vice presidential running mate
Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to pick Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice presidential running mate to help her challenge Donald Trump and JD Vance in November.
Harris grows Pennsylvania volunteers
Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign is touting its robust ground game in Pennsylvania, saying it’s taking “nothing for granted” in the state, ahead of her running mate reveal, which is expected on Tuesday.
About 33,000 people signed up to volunteer for the campaign in Pennsylvania in the last 15 days, according to a campaign memo. The campaign boasts nearly 300 staffers across three dozen offices in the state, the memo said.
The campaign also said it was “doing the work to make inroads in historically-safe Republican areas.”
The campaign sought to contrast Harris’ record with former President Donald Trump’s, citing the vice president’s time as a prosecutor and saying she “is committed to keeping our communities safe and locking up dangerous crooks, criminals, and predators.”
“With only three months until Election Day, Trump’s campaign still lags far behind in the infrastructure needed to win with just three offices in Pennsylvania,” the Harris campaign memo said. “He’s shown he doesn’t want these voters.”
Kamala Harris earns majority of Democratic roll call votes
Vice President Kamala Harris has officially gotten the vast majority of delegate votes in the virtual roll call that nominates her as the Democratic presidential nominee, the Democratic National Committee said in a statement released late Monday.
The roll call, which concluded on Monday evening, still needs to be certified by Convention Secretary Jason Rae, according to the statement, but the announcement makes Harris’s historic nomination effectively official.
Sens. Sanders, Warren join Progressives for Harris Call: ‘We have to beat Trump in November’
On a three-hour organizing call with over 100,000 attendees, numerous high-profile progressive democrats came out to support Vice President Kamala’s Harris’ presidential bid.
Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, Reps. Joaquin Castro, Ro Khanna, Ilhan Omar and Jamie Raskin and UAW President Shawn Fain all showed up as well as members of the uncommitted movement who had not yet endorsed Harris but strongly hope she’ll win them over in the next few months.
“The energy and the momentum in this election is on our side. And I am so inspired by the organizing in support of Vice President Harris, starting with the win with black women that mobilized a massive zoom call. And now here tonight, we have progressives coming together,” Warren said on the call.
Sanders, who has not officially said he endorses Harris — although he has encouraged voters to go out and support the candidate — told attendees that “Trump must be defeated” and Harris “must be elected.” He noted that it’s “imperative that Democrats gain control over the House and the Senate.”
“And we in the progressive movement must do all that we can to make that happen,” he added.
“I don’t know if I can add to what has already been said tonight, but my message is pretty clear, and that is all of us together must do everything that we can to defeat Donald Trump and elect Kamala Harris as our next president,” said Sanders.
Harris campaign selling yard signs without revealing running mate’s name
Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign is promoting pre-orders for a campaign yard sign with a mockup image featuring her last name and tape and question marks over where her yet-to-be-announced running mate’s last name would be.
“Be one of the first to proudly display your support for Kamala Harris and her running mate,” the campaign said on its website.
JD Vance to also give remarks in same states as Harris this week
Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance is scheduled to give remarks in the same states on the same days as Vice President Kamala Harris this week, the Trump-Vance campaign announced, as Harris embarks on a battleground state tour.
Vance is scheduled to speak at noon ET in Philadelphia on Tuesday. The event comes as Harris is set to hold a rally with her yet-to-be-announced running mate Tuesday night in the city.
On Wednesday, he is scheduled to deliver remarks in the Detroit suburb of Shelby Township, Michigan, and Eau Claire, Wisconsin, as Harris also campaigns in those states then.
Then on Thursday, he is set to speak in Raleigh and Oakboro in North Carolina, aligning with Harris’ scheduled visit to the state.
-ABC News’ Hannah Demissie
Bon Iver to campaign with Harris in Wisconsin
Bon Iver will join Harris and her running mate on Wednesday in Eau Claire, Wisconsin — where the Grammy-winning indie folk band was founded — for a “special performance” as part of the campaign’s battleground state tour, the Harris campaign announced on Monday.
-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow, Will McDuffie and Isabella Murray
Harris still deliberating on VP pick: Source
At this moment, Vice President Harris has not decided on a running mate and is still deliberating, according to a source.
More than 10K people expected at Harris’ Philly rally: Source
More than 10,000 people are expected to attend Harris’ rally Tuesday night in Philadelphia, where she’ll be joined by her new running mate, according to a source familiar with the plans.
That would make this the biggest event yet for the Harris campaign.
Harris is looking to build off her momentum. Pennsylvania kicks off her swing through seven battleground states in five days.
The pace of her campaign is in stark contrast to Trump’s, which has only one rally scheduled this week — in Montana on Friday.
Usha Vance says husband’s ‘childless cat ladies’ comment was a ‘quip’
In her first interview since her husband was named former President Donald Trump’s running mate, Usha Vance sat down with Fox & Friends where she discussed her husband’s “childless cat ladies” comment that has gained attention recently — calling it a “quip.”
“The reality is, JD made a quote – I mean, he made a quip, and he made a quip in service of making a point that he wanted to make that was substantive,” Usha Vance said of the comments her husband made in 2021. “And I just wish sometimes that people would talk about those things and that we would spend a lot less time just sort of going through this three-word phrase or that three-word phrase.”
She continued, “What he was really saying is that it can be really hard to be a parent in this country, and sometimes our policies are designed in a way that make it even harder.”
She added that her husband “would never ever ever want to say something to hurt someone who was trying to have a family who really was struggling with that.”
JD Vance has called the comments “sarcastic.”
“Let’s try to look at the real conversation that he’s trying to have and engage with it and understand for those of us who do have families, for the many of us who want to have families, and for whom it’s really hard,” Usha Vance said on Monday. “What can we do to make it better? What can we do to make it easier to live in 2024?”
-ABC News’ Kelsey Walsh, Hannah Demissie, Lalee Ibssa and Soorin Kim
Pelosi says she spoke with Biden ahead of his withdrawal ‘asking for a campaign that would win’
Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, in an interview with Good Morning America anchor George Stephanopolous on Monday morning, said that she spoke with President Joe Biden ahead of his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race “asking for a campaign that would win.” She also said Biden was “the only person that I spoke to” about Biden possibly withdrawing.
“The only person that I spoke to about this was the president. Other people called me about what their views were about it, and — but I rarely even returned a call, much less initiated one,” Pelosi said.
Later, she added, “I wasn’t asking him to step down. I was asking for a campaign that would win, and I wasn’t seeing that on the horizon.”
Vice President Kamala Harris’ choice for her running mate is a the “most important” decision she has to make as her campaign gets started, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.
All of her choices appear to be good, Pelosi added.
“It’s a difficult decision because they are all so great,” she told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos on Good Morning America on Monday. “It is the most important decision for her to make. Not just about who can help win, but who can help serve and lead and whose confidence she trusts.”
Harris and to-be-announced running mate to launch seven-state tour Tuesday
Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, who is yet to be named, will go on tour, hitting seven battleground states in five days, the Harris campaign said Monday.
The tour will be an effort to “introduce the new Democratic ticket” and “speak directly with voters in their communities and cement the contrast between our ticket and Trump’s,” campaign said.
The tour, which kicks off Tuesday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will feature rallies in cities and stops at college campuses, including HBCUs, union halls, family-owned restaurants and their field offices, the campaign said.
The tour will continue through Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Detroit, Michigan; Durham, North Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; Phoenix, Arizona; and Las Vegas, Nevada, the campaign said.
Harris interviewing top VP contenders today at her residence: Source
Vice President Harris is meeting with top running mate candidates Sunday at her residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., according to a source familiar with the matter.
Harris is meeting with at least three leading contenders — Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, according to the source.
The meetings were earlier reported by The New York Times.
Sen. JD Vance says he wears VP pick criticism as a ‘badge of honor’
In a Fox News interview Sunday, Sen. JD Vance responded to criticism of him being picked as former President Donald Trump’s running mate, saying he takes it as a “badge of honor.”
“All I can do is go out there and prosecute the case against Kamala Harris to remind people that things were more prosperous and more peaceful when Donald Trump was president,” Vance said. “Look, I recognize there are a lot of folks even in the GOP establishment and certainly on the far left who don’t like the fact that Donald Trump picked me, I actually take their criticism as a badge of honor.”
Vance also hit back at Democrats who’ve called him “weird,” calling it “a lot of projection.”
“They can call me whatever they want to. The middle school taunts don’t bother me,” he said. “What offends me is what Kamala Harris has done to this country over three and a half years.”
Harris campaign launches ‘Republicans for Harris’ outreach program
Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign announced Sunday that it would be launching a “Republicans for Harris” program aimed at reaching Republican voters who could be convinced to vote for Harris. The program will include digital advertising, phone banking, events and other initiatives, according to the campaign.
The program — and Harris herself — have been endorsed by a number of Republican figures, including former Trump White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham.
“I might not agree with Vice President Kamala Harris on everything, but I know that she will fight for our freedom, protect our democracy, and represent America with honor and dignity on the world stage,” Grisham wrote in a statement released by the Harris campaign.
The “Republicans for Harris” program will hold kickoff events starting this week, per the campaign.
(CHICAGO) — Vice President Kamala Harris is setting out to achieve three key objectives in her highly anticipated Democratic National Convention speech Thursday night, according to a campaign official.
The vice president will tell her story of being raised by a working mother in a middle-class neighborhood — sharing how her background means she knows the everyday joys and challenges experienced by middle-class families like hers, explaining how she shares those values, the official said.
She will also discuss how she became a prosecutor in order to protect others, be they survivors of sexual abuse or homeowners impacted by the foreclosure crisis, a Harris-Walz official told ABC News.
She will point out the dangers posed by former President Donald Trump’s campaign, specifically the Project 2025 agenda, which will rip away people’s freedoms, increase the cost of living, and take the country backward, the official said.
In contrast, the official told ABC News Harris will present a New Way Forward — an optimistic agenda that provides economic opportunity and protects fundamental freedoms for all Americans.
Harris will root her optimism about the future in her faith in the American people. She will work to make a stark contrast with Trump, sharing her belief in the promise of America, according to the campaign official.
And she knows that loving your country means being willing to fight for its fundamental ideals. She is driven by a deep sense of patriotism and a desire to be a president for all Americans, the official told ABC News.