Harris Stakes Campaign on Philadelphia’s Crucial Black and Latino Vote
Vice President Kamala Harris launched an intensive ground campaign across Philadelphia on Sunday, making a strategic push to energize Black and Latino voters just nine days before Election Day.
The Democratic nominee’s laser focus on Pennsylvania’s largest city highlights both its pivotal role in her path to victory and the mounting challenges facing her campaign.
“Victory runs through Philly,” Harris declared during a visit to Hakim’s Bookstore & Gift Shop, a black-owned business in West Philadelphia, where she was joined by Mayor Cherelle Parker.
This statement underscores Philadelphia’s critical importance—the city, with its nearly 40% Black and 15% Hispanic population, delivered 81% of its votes to Biden in 2020.
The vice president’s Sunday blitz included stops that read like a carefully crafted community outreach playbook:
- A service at a predominantly Black church
- Conversations at a local barbershop
- A visit to a Puerto Rican restaurant
- Meeting with a youth basketball team
- An evening campaign rally
Recent polls have set off alarm bells within the Democratic party, showing former President Donald Trump making unexpected inroads with Black and Latino men—a trend that threatens Harris’s coalition in Pennsylvania and beyond.
Former Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.) emphasized this concern: “Kamala Harris needs just a huge plurality coming out of the Philadelphia area… Black and Latino men in Philadelphia are essential for her.”
The campaign’s strategy became even more apparent with the release of a bold new advertisement during Sunday’s Eagles game. The ad directly challenged Trump’s previous claim that “bad things happen in Philadelphia,” turning it into a rallying cry for local voters. “We’re Philly. F—ing Philly,” the narrator declared, “And when you fight us, we fight back.”
Harris’s core message remained consistent throughout her appearances, emphasizing the stark choice voters face. “This election is about two extremely different visions for our nation,” she told the rally crowd. “One, Donald Trump’s, who is focused on the past and himself… We are focused on the future.”
The vice president also made a direct appeal to young voters, acknowledging their concerns about climate change, gun violence, and reproductive rights. “You are rightly impatient for change,” Harris stated, connecting with a demographic crucial for Democratic victory.
However, the day wasn’t without challenges. During her Philadelphia rally, a pro-Palestinian protester interrupted her speech, prompting Harris to address the ongoing Israeli war in Gaza: “We can, and we must, seize this opportunity to end this war and bring the hostages home.”
Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, Pennsylvania’s first Black lieutenant governor, defended the campaign’s outreach efforts: “Kamala Harris has been having an authentic conversation with Black and brown men throughout the course of this campaign.”
The stakes couldn’t be higher for Harris. While she might outperform Biden’s 2020 numbers in Philadelphia’s wealthy suburbs, Democrats worry she could fall short in the state’s predominantly white, working-class regions. This makes Philadelphia’s turnout even more critical to her chances of maintaining the “Blue Wall” of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin—states that could determine the presidency.
As Election Day approaches, all eyes remain on Philadelphia, where Harris’s ability to mobilize the city’s diverse Democratic base could make or break her White House bid. The message from her campaign is clear: the path to victory runs through the City of Brotherly Love.