PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — On the final night of campaigning before the polls open on Tuesday morning, Kamala Harris crisscrossed the key battleground state of Pennsylvania, starting in Allentown, traveling west to Pittsburgh, and capping it off in Philadelphia, the city where she began her campaign in July.
Donald Trump started the day with rallies in Reading and Pittsburgh before traveling to Michigan for a late-night event in Grand Rapids, where he ended his campaigns in 2016 and 2020.
The Harris rally, in front of the famous “Rocky” steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, was laden with star power, and drew thousands of people to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
By 11 p.m., Harris had not yet taken the stage, but while the vice president made her way to Philly from Pittsburgh, Jazmine Sullivan, The Roots, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Ricky Martin, Lady Gaga, Oprah Winfrey and others brought music and rallying cries.
Before making her final pitch to voters, Harris campaigned in Pittsburgh, underscoring the importance of the state’s 19 electoral votes to the outcome of the election. Pennsylvania, the largest of the swing states, is a must-win for whoever wants to get into the White House.
“I am not looking to score political points, I am looking to make progress. I pledge to listen to those who will be impacted by the decisions I make … and we are not going back,” she said.
“We are all here together because we love our country and when you love something, you fight for it.”
Concert performances like this, on behalf of the Harris-Walz ticket, took place all over the country on Monday in all the battleground states — James Taylor in North Carolina, Kristina Aguilera in Las Vegas, Philadelphia’s own Leslie Odom in Lansing and Grand Rapids, Michigan, Jon Bon Jovi in Detroit, and Katy Perry with Harris in Pittsburgh.
“Who here has a plan to vote?” Harris asked the Steel Town crowd, which roared back in approval. “Help spread the word, then, because we need everyone to vote. Pennsylvania, you will make the difference in this election.”
'Why not give somebody else a try?'
While Harris supporters partied on the Parkway, hundreds of Trump supporters gathered with signs and flags in South Philly along Broad Street in front of Marconi Plaza. For a couple of hours, they danced to music and cheered as cars drove by and honked their horns.
Eddie, originally from New York, but now living in Philadelphia was there.
“My political views are very broad, and I'm open-minded, but I think we really have to go with a little common sense here and what makes sense for our country and our economy,” he said.
“And you might not like everything Trump has to do, but I certainly don't like what's happened in the last four years. I would have a different opinion if something changed in the last four years, but nothing's changed. It's only gotten worse. So why not give somebody else a try?”
Jody Della Barba from South Philly, one of the people who organized the rally, said they wanted to help make voters enthusiastic to head to the polls on Tuesday.
“Years ago, we used to do rallies for Mayor Rizzo the night before the election and I wanted to bring that back, because it gives people the enthusiasm to come out. These people can't wait to vote that didn't vote yet. Donald Trump, he appeals to these people."
Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.