Second gentleman Doug Emhoff kicked off the Harris for President campaign in Maine on Wednesday, telling supporters that freedom will be the focus of the race.
Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, said she offers a vision for the future.
“This vision of a Kamala Harris presidency, a vision where we all belong, a vision of more freedom, protecting our rights, not taking them away,” he said to about 100 supporters at a Portland distillery. “That’s what the Kamala Harris presidency will be all about.”
The Portland rally came just four days after President Joe Biden announced he was dropping out of the race and endorsed Harris.
Emhoff said the Maine event was his first rally of the new campaign. Earlier in the day, he held a reproductive rights roundtable and later in the evening, he was headed to a fundraiser.
About a dozen state legislators attended the afternoon event alongside delegates to the Democratic National Convention and local elected leaders.
As he waited for Emhoff to take the stage, delegate Marpheen Chann said he had no problem backing Harris after Biden stepped aside.
“There’s two different visions for America right now,” he said. “Vice President Harris is fighting to strengthen our democracy, she’s fighting for reproductive freedoms, and to ensure that every American has not only the opportunity to get by but get ahead.”
Chann was one of the state’s 32 delegates who voted unanimously to back Harris on Monday. Later that night, enough other states vowed their support to give her the delegates needed to win the nomination.
Harris held her first campaign rally Tuesday in Wisconsin, drawing 3,500 people amid reports of record fundraising totals and a high level of interest from volunteers.
Former President Donald Trump’s campaign criticized Harris earlier this week as “dangerously liberal” and reassured supporters that Trump is well positioned to win.
“Just as Donald Trump fired Joe Biden, he will demonstrate to the world he can fire Dangerously liberal Kamala as well,” according to memo from Trump campaign advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity to defeat not just one Democrat nominee for president, but two — in the same year!”
Emhoff, who spoke for about 15 minutes, criticized Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and said many of those who worked with him in his first term are no longer supporting him.
He also told personal stories about how he met Harris on a blind date about 12 years ago, about their blended family and her commitment to hosting Sunday dinners.
He said she will focus on “sticking up for the middle class, not more tax breaks for the billionaires and the corporations.”
Major players in Maine politics pledged support for Harris, including Gov. Janet Mills, U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-1st District), House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross (D-Portland) and Senate President Troy Jackson (D-Allagash).
Jackson, who is prevented from seeking another term in the Legislature because of term limits, warmed up the crowd for Emhoff, saying he’s committed to keeping Democrats in charge in Augusta and Washington.
“I’m ready to fight like hell to send Kamala Harris back to the White House, but now as the president of the United States of America!” he said, drawing raucous applause from the crowd.
That enthusiasm is felt not only among older party leaders like Jackson, but the younger generation as well now that Harris is on the top of the ticket, said delegate Ellie Sato.
“We’re seeing a groundswell of support especially from the younger generation,” she said. “It’s really exciting to see that especially in Maine.”