John Jefferson
Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris has raised a staggering $12m from a high-profile fundraiser in her home state of California after concluding her tour of crucial swing states with new running mate Tim Walz.
Joined by former House speaker Nancy Pelosi and state Governor Gavin Newsom in a hotel ballroom in San Francisco, the Oakland-born vice president told the crowd: “It’s good to be home.”
“This is a room full of dear, dear friends and longstanding supporters – folks I have known for my entire career… We’ve been through a lot together,” she said.
“I want to thank everyone in here for your love and longstanding support and friendship and for your dedication to this country.”
Harris went on to warn her 700-strong audience that healthcare, abortion access and LGBT+ rights would all be under threat should a second Donald Trump term come to fruition.
“We know what we need to do – we need to knock on doors, we need to register folks to vote, we need to get people to the polls. And every day matters,” she said.
“That’s why we’re going to win, but let’s not take anything for granted.”
Speaking of her whirlwind tour through Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona and, lastly, Nevada to introduce Walz to her supporters, Harris said: “Folks are coming to these events and they’re bringing with them so much joy. People are singing and they’re dancing in the aisles long before we get there.
“They’re showing up not only because we must beat Donald Trump, they’re showing up because they believe in our country and our freedom.”
Harris clearly saw the evening as a homecoming, reminiscing with Newsom about the day in 2004 when they took their oath of office together in San Francisco, she as the liberal city’s new district attorney and he as its mayor.
Pelosi – who was said to have played a crucial role in pushing President Joe Biden to step aside from the 2024 race – had introduced the vice president on stage.
“This is a good day when we welcome Kamala Harris back home to California,” she said.
“She makes us all so proud, she brings us so much joy, she gives us so much hope.”
Tickets for Sunday’s donor event cost between $3,300 and $500,000, according to The LA Times.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed, Rep Barbara Lee, San Francisco Giants Chief Executive Larry Baer and Hollywood movie mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg were all in attendance, according to Bloomberg.
While her campaign continues to go from strength to strength, Biden has now given his first interview since stepping down from the race.
Speaking to CBS News, he again stressed his belief that democracy itself is on the ballot in November and the importance of beating Trump once again.
Biden also conceded that he had allowed speculation about his future to become a “distraction” before making way for Harris.
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