US elections: Harris and Walz's bus tour - VP and running mate visit Georgia in bid to sway GOP strongholds

Vice President Kamala

Harris

and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim

Walz

, made an unexpected visit to Liberty County High School on Wednesday as part of a two-day

bus tour

through southeast

Georgia

. The Democratic ticket is campaigning heavily in the critical battleground state, aiming to make inroads into traditionally Republican areas ahead of the November election.
During the visit, the high school band performed their school fight song, and Harris, addressing the students, expressed her admiration and optimism for the younger generation.

“We’re so proud of you and we’re counting on you,” she said to the enthusiastic crowd, some of whom were visibly excited by the vice president’s presence, reported AP. Harris encouraged the students, noting that she too had once been in the band, and offered them a piece of advice: “Just keep going at it.”

This visit is part of a broader strategy by the Harris-Walz campaign to engage voters in GOP strongholds and to showcase a more personal side of the candidates. The campaign believes that winning over these areas is essential to securing a victory in Georgia, a state that played a pivotal role in the 2020 election. The bus tour is set to culminate in a rally in Savannah on Thursday.

Michael Tyler, Harris’ campaign communications director, emphasized the importance of reaching out to communities that don’t typically see Democratic candidates. “We’re competing in all communities,” Tyler said, adding that the campaign hopes these informal stops will generate viral moments that resonate with voters nationwide.

In addition to their high school visit, Harris and Walz made a stop at Sandfly, a barbecue restaurant in Savannah, where they interacted with local patrons, including teachers who expressed their appreciation for Walz’s background as a former high school teacher.

The bus tour reflects a continuation of the Democratic strategy to connect with voters on a personal level, a tactic used effectively in previous campaigns, including President Biden’s. The campaign has also launched a new ad in battleground states, seeking to tie former President Donald Trump to the conservative “Project 2025,” a plan that includes replacing civil servants with Trump loyalists and reversing certain FDA approvals.

The Georgia visit is a makeup for an earlier planned trip that was postponed due to Tropical Storm Debby. Harris is scheduled to continue her campaign efforts with President Biden on Labor Day, just as the election season enters its final stretch.
The contrasting approaches between the two campaigns were evident when Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, struggled to engage with workers during a recent visit to a bakery in Valdosta, Georgia. Vance later expressed sympathy for a worker who appeared overwhelmed by the media presence.