U.S. Election 2024: Harris-Walz Campaign Launches with Momentum

🇺🇸 U.S. ELECTION 2024

The presidential election is rapidly approaching, less than 90 days away. Here’s what we’re closely monitoring.

Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz at a rally in Las Vegas on Saturday. Credit: Erin Schaff/The New York Times

The Harris-Walz Campaign’s Inaugural Week

As a newly reshaped race unfolds, the typical sluggishness of August politics has been replaced by a whirlwind of rallies, interviews, and public engagements. This summer surge comes just ahead of the Democratic National Convention, set to kick off in Chicago, where the fresh ticket aims to sustain the momentum generated by their week-long debut to the American public.

Over the weekend, both presidential tickets ventured westward, with Donald Trump hosting a rally in Montana and conducting fundraisers in Wyoming and Colorado. In contrast, Kamala Harris and her running mate, Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota, focused their efforts on the crucial battleground states of Arizona and Nevada before heading to a fundraising event in San Francisco.

Since the inaugural rally for Harris and Walz at the beginning of last week, Democrats have found themselves in an unexpectedly favorable position, taking the offensive. A recent Times/Siena College poll indicates that Harris now leads Trump in the national polling average and has gained ground in several key battleground states. Here are five key takeaways from the first week of the Harris-Walz campaign:

• Biden: In his first interview following the suspension of his campaign, President Biden emphasized the critical need for the Democratic Party to unite against Trump, labeling him an ally of the Ku Klux Klan.
• Trump: The former president made unfounded claims on social media, alleging that Harris had used artificial intelligence to fabricate images and videos showcasing large crowds at her rallies.