Michigan is a battleground state in the upcoming presidential election.

And the state’s Democratic members of Congress say they also feel good about their party’s chances to take back the U.S. House by riding the wave of enthusiasm currently surrounding the Harris-Walz ticket.

That includes Michigan Democratic Congresswoman Haley Stevens, who represents much of Oakland County in the state’s 11th Congressional District

I spoke with Stevens at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Wednesday about the political momentum within the Democratic Party and whether they’ll be able to sustain it going into the general election in November.

Listen: Haley Stevens on political sugar high at the DNC, top priorities for the state

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Haley Stevens: It was certainly so exciting for Democrats all over this country to be in the room with the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama, and of course, our former First Lady Michelle Obama. The wisdom, the power of their coupledom, the message that they delivered — which was grounding — and it reminded us that we really have work to do, and we can’t take things for granted. We got to go with the good vibes. We know what’s at stake. And as Michelle Obama said, “we have to do something.”

Quinn Klinefelter: Some of the pundits and so on have said, “can you keep this kind of political sugar high going all the way to the election day?”

HS: Well, we know the seasons are going to change. We’re still in summer. The election’s not until to the fall. Moods change with seasons absolutely. We also know that gravity is real, and it feels as though we’re flying very high. One of the elements of the Harris-Walz ticket that I find very optimistic and important for Democrats, as we’re heading into November though, is the more you get to know the two of them and their vision for our country, the more you like them, the more you like what you’re hearing. It’s practical, it’s real, it’s relatable. Kamala Harris — having worked her way through college, worked in McDonald’s — Tim Walz sleeves rolled up, governor of Minnesota, someone who coached high school sports as well as served in the United States military… I think that that really speaks to people. Whereas JD Vance, President Trump’s runningmate, he’s a wardrobe in search of a bedroom. He doesn’t know who he is. He’s saying one thing one week and another thing the other. And I don’t understand why he’s taking shots at women, and I hear that from voters. I think that’s very real.

When we know that the economy is going to be the most important issue, we should just be focusing on the economy. Kamala Harris is rolling out an economic agenda. She’s not afraid to say the words middle class. I can’t remember the last time I heard Donald Trump say that.

QK: The economy does seem to be the overriding issue for a lot of voters. You talk to some of the people in the metro region, they’ll say, “things were so great when Trump was president, the prices were lower, things were happening.” What would you say to those people?

HS: Look, we’ve got to make sure that people feel a certain way about the Harris-Walz ticket, carrying forward from the administration of President Biden, we see that we have the highest levels of employment in Detroit in over 50 years. We have record new factory growth. We, frankly, as the United States of America are buoying the world’s economy, we also though have to understand it’s very real what people are experiencing at the grocery stores. And so Kamala Harris has put forward a plan to tackle costs, to tackle shrinkflation. And what is the first thing that the Trump-Vance ticket says in response to that? “That’s communism.” Give me a break.

QK: There’s been questions about how either side, if they get in, would be able to pay for these kind of things. I mean, you’re on the front lines in Congress. Where do they get the money from? If there’s tax cuts, if there’s other programs that are going to be going forward, where can the money come to try to pay for some of these things?

HS: Well, it’s certainly very concerning to me that if you look at the previous term, Trump’s approach to global competition was largely to tariff goods. Then the pandemic hit, and as a result, those two events very much increased the cost of goods across the board. So our sugar farmers, their equipment is twice as much as it used to be. Sugar is in how much of our food? — as much as we like it or not — and that’s contributing to rising costs. We do need to be responsible about the pay-fors.

We in the Democratic caucus put forward a rules package when we were in the majority, making sure that we were paying as we go for things, offsetting costs, without slashing programs in the government that are working for people, and also making sure that we weren’t increasing our debt as a result. We have a tax bill that we’re going to be reauthorizing. I want to do that under Kamala Harris, because more tax cuts for large corporations and nothing for middle class workers is not going to work. It’s going to fail people, and people need to know that.

QK: Apart from the economy, what other issues do you see that you think are going to be prime importance in Michigan and Oakland County?

HS: Well, certainly when we talk about the economy, we’re also talking about transportation and housing. Those two issues are inextricable, and they’re deeply important in Oakland County. I also think there’s an undergird certainly around national security and foreign policy and some of the toughness — particularly from independent voters — that they want to see from their next commander in chief on the world stage.

We all have to remember that Donald Trump shoots from the hip. He’s tweeting at world leaders in the middle of the night. He’s very unpredictable. It felt like he was going to lead us into war many times. I see in Kamala Harris, someone who’s going to be tough on national security and is going to take her next chapter of her campaign to communicating how she plans to lead on the world stage.

QK: There has been protests here, obviously, regarding the situation in Gaza, how do you see that playing out, and how do you see that impacting the election as you head in November?

HS: Well, we’re a big tent party, and certainly when people disagree with each other, they’re not chased out. And I think it’s actually a productive and good thing that we have people who are not necessarily on the same page with one another, but are engaging with one another respectfully. What we don’t want to see is see protests taking down the event at hand, which is obviously our Democratic National Convention, leading to hate, leading to violence. None of that’s happening here. The city of Chicago is shining. Michigan is shining here. And as a lawmaker who represents a very diverse population and has had to take tough votes and take tough positions, I’m not here trying to thread a needle in the middle to pretend like I’m going to make everyone happy. Votes are binary. Leadership is oftentimes binary in terms of executive decisions, and that’s what Kamala Harris is showing she’s extended some olive branches, but her positions in the Middle East are clear. 

Use the media player above to listen to the interview with Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens.

Read more:

• Will Democrats’ enthusiasm prove contagious for independent voters?
• Whitmer shares goals for Democratic Party, Michigan ahead of DNC address
• Mike Duggan talks public transit, city’s new solar program at DNC

On this episode of the Detroit Evening Report, stories include this week’s excitement at the Democratic National Convention around the Harris-Walz presidential ticket; Michigan’s launch of a new statewide “Shark Tank”-style pitch competition and more.

Subscribe to the Detroit Evening Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Dems rally around Harris, Walz at DNC

The Harris-Walz ticket is creating a sheen of excitement at this week’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago. And some notable metro Detroiters are part of it.

That includes long-time Democratic activist Reverend Wendell Anthony. He says Harris’ status as the first women of color to head a major party presidential ticket is re-invigorating Democrat’s ability to get out the vote for the general election.

“This is Freedom Summer Two…that’s what I call it,” he said. “Freedom Summer One was 60 years ago. Black folk and white folk went south to Mississippi to help register people to vote, because they couldn’t vote. They went volunteering. Now people from all across the country are coming, volunteering, because they want to preserve freedom, democracy and the right to vote still.”

Anthony claims former President Donald Trump is laying the groundwork to challenge the election in states like Michigan if he is not declared the winner in November. 

Applications open for PitchMI

Applications are officially open for PitchMI, a statewide “Shark Tank”-style pitch competition created to help solve Michigan’s transportation troubles.

The state’s Growth Office will invest $100,000 in one innovative solution that transforms the way Michiganders get from point A to point B safely, affordably and efficiently. PitchMI is meant to spur entrepreneurial problem-solving, connect innovators with capital and create a ripple effect to accelerate more innovation, according to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The competition is scheduled to take place Thursday, Oct. 24, during the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification’s conference at Newlab in Detroit. Applicants for PitchMI must be available to participate in-person. Its open to start-up companies with 51% of their employees in the state of Michigan. Solutions should be demonstration-ready with working prototypes. 

For more information and to apply, visit growingmichigan.org/opportunities. The deadline to apply is Monday, Sept. 16. 

Detroit to unveil Joe Louis Neighborhood Stories

The city of Detroit will unveil its Joe Louis Greenway Neighborhood Stories signage project this week.

Ten signs will be placed along the Joe Louis Greenway telling the story of the Midwest-Tireman neighborhood. The city used residents as Story Gatherers to collect oral histories from long-time neighborhood residents. Those stories were turned into signs designed by the firm Good Done Daily.

A ribbon-cutting is scheduled to take place at 2 p.m. Thursday at 8034 West Warren Ave., Detroit, with light refreshments on offer. Parking is available on McDonald Street. 

HBCU Student Invitational Film Competition and Festival

The HBCU Student Invitational Film Competition and Festival takes place at Michigan Central next week.

Black filmmakers attending HBCUs will screen their films from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m on Friday, Aug. 23, with contest winners announced on Saturday, Aug. 24. The grand prize is $10,000.

This is the first time the event will be in-person. Autumn Sun, the group organizing the festival, was founded by Detroit native Bruce Clifton. The film screenings and panel discussions are free, but the award ceremony and gala on the 24th require tickets. For more information, visit autumnsunfest.org. 

Annual ‘Fun in the Park’ event returns

Residents of Detroit’s District 7 are invited to Stein Park from 3 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 23, for the second annual Fun in the Park event. The free, family-friendly event will feature food, games, music, activities for all ages and more. 

Stein Park is located at 18899 Chicago St., Detroit. The rain date for the event will be Saturday, Aug. 24.

Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.

Organizers behind the national “uncommitted” movement are commending a decision to host an official panel discussion on Palestinian rights Monday at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

The movement began as the “Listen to Michigan” campaign to get 10,000 uncommitted votes in the state’s Democratic presidential primary in February, in protest of Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza that has claimed the lives of more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The uncommitted campaign wildly exceeded expectations in Michigan, picking up more than 13% of the votes in the Democratic race, or roughly 101,000 votes.

“The Muslim community, not just in Michigan, but in nearly every state, is more active, more involved than ever before,” Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellsion told WDET before participating in Monday’s panel discussion. “Not just as candidates, but as people who are doing fundraising; people who are doing communications; I mean, Bernie Sanders campaign manager was a Muslim, right? So the Muslim community has stronger political muscles than ever before, and is making itself heard.”

Others on the panel, like pediatric intensive care surgeon Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan — who recently returned from serving in Gaza — say the Harris-Walz ticket needs to hear the cries of the tens of thousands of Palestinians killed during the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

“We feel like the only way to protect and preserve human life is to put political pressure at this point.”

-Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan, pediatric physician in Gaza and DNC panelist

“I was asked to be here to provide moral witness to the delegates of the Democratic National Convention, the civilian casualties that I myself witnessed while I was there, the entire families that were exterminated, health care workers, humanitarian workers, that have been killed in unprecedented numbers, child amputees, record numbers of child amputees, all the children who had survived and arrived injured at the hospital with no surviving family,” Haj-Hassan told WDET. “I myself treated several children who would fall into that category. And for these children, they would often die in our arms in the emergency department without any family around to comfort them, because their family were killed in the same attack, and without anybody to bury them once they were dead…it was honestly, completely, utterly devastating.

“So we feel like the only way to protect and preserve human life is to put political pressure at this point. The unconditional ongoing funding of the U.S. for this military campaign, it starkly contrasts with the documented realities on the ground, with the findings by the International Court of Justice — a plausible genocide — and with universal global condemnation from every human rights and humanitarian organization, saying ‘This has to stop.'”

Haj-Hassan says everyone in her immediate family and friends circle are “very afraid of a Trump presidency,” however, she says, “we have red lines for what we will support in a party that we’re going to vote for, and genocide is one of those lines.”

“If the Harris-Walz platform wants to win, then they’re going to need to start listening to all of these voters, and I hope they also start listening to their conscience, because I don’t know how you’d sleep at night knowing that you’re funding this,” she said.

In a statement from uncommitted movement co-founders Layla Elabed and Abbas Alawieh, they called the panel “an important step toward recognizing the rightful place of human rights advocates for Palestinian rights within the Democratic Party.”

“Our focus remains on policy change,” the statement read. “Vice President Harris has an opportunity to unite the party against Trump this week by turning the page towards a human rights policy that saves lives and helps us re-engage key voters for whom Gaza is a top issue.”

Thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators were gathered outside the DNC on Monday, with some breaking through a security fence near the convention site. However, the protests have been mostly peaceful.

Elabed and Alewieh say they have formally requested that Haj-Hassan and a Palestinian American be granted speaking time on the convention stage this week to share their plight.

This spring, Donald Trump had an advantage he couldn’t achieve in 2020 when he was running for reelection – a lead in the polls.

Buoyed by the lingering effects of two years of high inflation under the Biden Administration, polling in April, May and June consistently trended toward Trump. 

That could be why Biden’s campaign agreed to the earliest debate in presidential election history. But that attempt to flip the script did not go well — as calls for the 81-year-old incumbent to step aside only grew louder following his poor debate performance in June, during which he trailed off several times and gave multiple nonsensical answers. The questions surrounding the president’s age and viability were answered for many by the end of the night.

Behind the scenes, some Democrats immediately started to panic and worked to get the president to step down from the ticket. However, he kept campaigning, and Biden’s many supporters and defenders in the media sprang to his defense. 

On July 12, Biden came to Detroit for a rousing rally where he was met with supporters chanting “don’t you quit!” He was animated at the event, seeming to feed off of the crowd’s energy, and insisted he was staying in the race. 

“I’m running and we’re going to win,” he told the crowd.

Covering the rally that day, there seemed little chance that Biden would drop out.

The media momentum from that event was short-lived, though, as media attention rightfully focused the very next day on an the attempted assassination of Trump at a campaign event in Pennsylvania. The assassin’s bullet narrowly missed killing Trump, grazing his ear and drawing blood. One spectator died and two others were wounded in the shooting. 

The Republican National Convention took place in Milwaukee the following week. Trump announced his running mate – Ohio Senator JD Vance – and then he formally accepted the party’s nomination in a long speech on July 18. 

On the convention floor, Michigan GOP Delegate Bethany Wheeler said it was an emotional moment as Trump recalled the attempt on his life. 

“Just the emotion in the beginning, when he was talking about how serious everything was, it was very powerful,” Wheeler said. “You really remembering that was five days ago.” 

Three days later, Biden was out, and after some hurried discussions the party proceeded to make Vice President Kamala Harris the only candidate for the Democratic nomination — turning the presidential election on its head.

Michigan Congresswoman Debbie Dingell says she could sense the immediate sea change.

“There’s no question that there’s a new energy out there. You saw it in the rally when Vice President Harris made her first appearance in Michigan after having announced Governor Walz,” said Dingell. “You see it in the, when we organize and have kickoffs for door knocking and telephone banks, and you just see it when you’re out in the community at events, people come up and want to talk about it. They’re excited, and that’s good.” 

Dingell was the canary in the coal mine in 2016 – warning the Hillary Clinton campaign – and any other Democrat who would listen that Michigan was in play. 

“In 2016 I was in union halls, and I heard how people felt about trade and their jobs having been shipped overseas,” she said. “I hear an energy that I haven’t, quite frankly, seen in a while.” 

Listen: Support for Harris surging in key swing states ahead of DNC, polls show

United Auto Workers Region 1-A Director Laura Dickerson agrees.

“I had an opportunity in this region to walk the picket line with President Joe Biden, just down the street from here, and so we appreciate all that he’s done. But the biggest thing that he did, he stepped aside for this country, and he’s ignited a movement with Kamala Harris,” said Dickerson.

At the recent Harris-Walz rally at Detroit Metro Airport, Dingell made her thoughts clear.

“We got a lot of work to do. I feel a lot better than I did in 2016 at this time,” she said. “Donald Trump, you’re not going to win Michigan.”

For now, the polling supports that trend. 

“We are really seeing a completely different race up and down these critical swing states,” said Jessica Taylor, senate and governors editor for The Cook Political Report. “In our last polling in May, Trump was leading in every single swing state, and now Harris is either leading or tied in every swing state, except for Nevada.” 

Harris currently has a three-point lead on Trump in Michigan. That’s a five-point swing since May. The switch to the vice president has also opened up more paths to victory in the electoral college, according to Taylor. 

“But I mean, Michigan was a must-win for President Biden, I think you know, he was really down to the only plausible path he had was winning those blue wall states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania,” said Taylor. “But now Harris, she’s competitive once again in Georgia and North Carolina and Arizona. So I think it opens up the map. So Michigan is not a must win, but you would absolutely like to have it.” 

Democratic voters are still in the honeymoon phase, and it’s possible this week’s Democratic National Convention could extend that bump. Dickerson says Harris – with her close ties to organized labor – can sustain that momentum. 

“I’m telling you, our membership is excited. They’re energized. They’re ready to go and support Kamala Harris,” she said.

In 2020, Biden defeated Trump in Michigan by 150,000 votes. Harris was on the ticket, but she wasn’t in the spotlight. With an improving economy and without the baggage of age, will voters connect with her like they did with Biden four years ago? Given the roller coaster of the past two months, Nov. 5 is both a short time for Harris to make her case, and a long way off. 

Read more:

• Dingell sees wave of excitement, protests coming at Democratic National Convention
• Favorable views of Kamala Harris have risen this summer heading into the DNC, AP-NORC poll shows
• How to watch the Democratic National Convention in Chicago

Former President Donald Trump enjoyed a two-point lead in Michigan back in May, but things have changed dramatically in the race for the White House.

Trump — who survived an assassination attempt last month — saw his momentum slowed by a change on the Democratic ticket. President Joe Biden dropping out of the race and Democrats coalescing around Vice President Kamala Harris changed everything.

In polling conducted by The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter the last week of July through the first days of August, Harris now leads in every swing state except Nevada.

In Michigan, Harris has a three-point lead — which marks a five-point swing away from Trump.

Cook Political Editor of U.S. Senate & Governors, Jessica Taylor, says the vibe shift over the past month has been remarkable.

“I remember being at the Republican National Convention not even a month ago,” Taylor says. “It really felt like a coronation for Donald Trump, and that this race felt over, really, and now it is a true toss up once again. Harris is in the fight in swing states where I think the Biden campaign had already ceded things.”

As far as any potential bump from next week’s Democratic National Convention, Taylor says it’s possible Harris has already hit her high water mark.

“I think she’s had a honeymoon period,” Taylor says. “I do think the DNC could extend that and she could get a bump out of it. But given the topsy turvy election cycle we’ve had over the past month and a half, who knows what’s going to happen?”

In the race for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat, Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin has an eight-point advantage over Republican Mike Rogers. However, Rogers has likely suffered from his time away from politics — and having a significant disadvantage in fundraising.

“I think it’s Rogers that has the possibility to gain if he continues to spend and reintroduce himself,” Taylor says. “Trump is at 46% he’s at 42% so he’s running behind where Trump is. So really, Trump could help him in that regard.”

The Democratic Party has officially selected Vice President Kamala Harris as the party’s presidential nominee on Monday afternoon — marking the first time a woman of color has won a major party’s nomination, and only the second time a woman has been selected.

Of the 4,567 Democratic delegates who cast ballots, Harris — who just held a rally at Detroit Metro Airport on Wednesday — won the support of 99% of the voters. Though Harris appears to be succeeding in her rushed bid for the presidency, it’s important to note that there are significant barriers women face when running for an election. 

Today on Created Equal, NBC News Correspondent Ali Vitali; political science professor Dr. Cathy Wineinger; and Kimberly Peeler-Allen, visiting practitioner at the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, joined the show to discuss Harris’ nomination and the state of women in politics.

Subscribe to Created Equal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Guests

Ali Vitali is a Capitol Hill correspondent for NBC News and the author of the book “Electable: Why America Hasn’t Put a Woman in the White House…Yet.” She says that Michigan’s women-dominated leadership will assist Harris’ campaign because Michiganders are used to voting for, and seeing, women win top government offices. 

“Politically, Michigan is a battleground state. But from the perspective of gender and politics, you [have to] look up and down the upper echelons of leadership in Michigan,” Vitali said. “You have, of course, Gretchen Whitmer at the top of that, but then you have Jocelyn Benson and Dana Nessel. It’s important to look at the fact that Michigan voters are habituated to seeing women run for executive and top leadership roles, and they’re used to seeing them win.” 

Dr. Cathy Wineinger is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington. She says the biggest barrier to office is firstly getting women to run, and then making sure they run as themselves. 

“I think getting women to decide to run in the first place is the biggest challenge to overcome. But I think we’re seeing that, and this change in the political landscape does send a signal to women [and] to women of color, that: ‘Hey, I can run and I can run as myself. I don’t need to fit into this [white man] stereotype,’’ Wineinger said. “And that’s especially true on the Democratic side of the aisle – I think it’s maybe not as true on the Republican side.”

Kimberly Peeler-Allen is a visiting practitioner at the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University and was formerly the Senior Advisor to New York State Attorney General Letitia James’ reelection. She says the reason women of color experience harassment when seeking government positions is because of America’s history as a white, patriarchal society. 

“The vice president and [her] campaign aren’t leaning into the diversity of her experience and her identity, but the Republicans are,” Peeler-Allen said. “We’re seeing the increase of violence, threats and harassment against women and people of color in elected office across the board. A lot of that is sparked because of, for lack of a better phrase, their ‘difference’ from what the norm has been.”

Listen to Created Equal with host Stephen Henderson weekdays from 9-10 a.m. ET on 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand.

Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz continued their Presidential campaign with a rally at Detroit Metro Airport on Wednesday.

The campaign, still in its infancy, drew a crowd of about 15,000 to the airplane hangar – mostly members of the United Auto Workers and other supporters. While addressing the crowd, Harris was interrupted by protesters opposed to Israel’s war in Gaza with Hamas. At first, Harris said to those trying to disrupt her, “I am here because I believe in democracy, and everybody’s voice matters.”

But Harris lost patience as the shouting continued, with protesters accusing her of supporting genocide in Gaza. That led her to deliver a sharper rejoinder.

“You know what? If you want Donald Trump to win, then say that,” she said, talking over the protesters. “Otherwise, I’m speaking.”

Uncommitted National Movement founders Layla Elabed and Abbas Alawieh both had an opportunity to speak briefly with Harris and Walz at the rally.

The two Uncommitted leaders each shared their concerns about the U.S. supplying weapons to Israel, and requested a formal meeting with Harris to further discuss their demands of an arms embargo and a permanent ceasefire.

The vice president shared her sympathies and expressed an openness to a meeting with Uncommitted leaders to discuss an arms embargo.

“Michigan voters want to support you, but we need a policy that will save lives in Gaza right now.”

— Uncommitted National Movement Co-founder Layla Elabed

During her exchange with Harris, Elabed broke down in tears and said: “I’m Palestinian, I’m a founder of Uncommitted. Michigan voters want to support you, but we need a policy that will save lives in Gaza right now. I meet with community members every day in Michigan who are losing tens and hundreds of family members in Gaza. Right now, we need an arms embargo. Will you meet with us to talk about an arms embargo?”

Alawieh, who is also a DNC delegate, told the vice president he appreciated her leadership and wanted to support her, but “voters need to see you turn a new page on Gaza policy that includes embracing an arms embargo to save lives.”

Shortly after her remarks Wednesday, Harris won the backing of Assad I. Turfe, the deputy Wayne County executive, who is the highest ranking Arab American official in Michigan’s largest county. Turfe told The Associated Press that he spoke with Harris backstage at the event before his endorsement.

“Kamala Harris embodies the America we deserve – an America that stands for strength, inclusivity and unwavering commitment to justice,” Turfe said in a statement. “I wholeheartedly endorse Kamala Harris, as she represents the true spirit of our nation and the values we hold dear.”

Turfe also pressed the need for a ceasefire, but said that Harris “gives us the best chance of achieving peace in that region moving forward.”

Over 40,000 civilians have been killed in Israel’s ongoing military action in Gaza. The Uncommitted movement started in Michigan and spread nationwide during the Presidential Primary process as a way for voters to show displeasure with President Joe Biden’s continued support of Israel.

Speaking at a news conference in Dearborn on Wednesday, Elabed said continuing to support Israel is anti-democratic when polling has shown most Americans want a ceasefire.

“So we will continue pressuring the Biden administration to do the moral thing and to also carry out the core tenets of the Democratic Party that currently do not align with this U.S. policy, Gaza policy as it stands,” she said.

There will be 30 Uncommitted delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago later this month.

During her speech, Harris touched on the successes of the Biden Administration – including the CHIPS Act that aimed to bolster electric vehicle production. That drew applause from the scores of union members in the crowd.

Harris also tried to highlight the differences between her campaign and that of former President Donald Trump.

“What kind of country do we want to live in, a country of freedom, compassion and rule of law, or a country of chaos, fear and hate?”

However, when the crowd started chanting “Lock Him Up”… Harris shut that down.

“Here’s the thing, the courts are gonna handle that,” she told the crowd. “We’re gonna beat him in November.”

‘Lock Her Up’ has been a familiar refrain at Trump rallies dating back to his first campaign against Hillary Clinton. Trump is still facing sentencing in New York after being convicted of 34 counts of fraud.

Walz, a former teacher and National Guardsman, criticized Trump’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We had the worst crisis of a generation, and he froze during COVID,” he said. “People lost their lives because of that.”

Walz’ strong support from organized labor was reportedly a factor in Harris’ decision to pick him as a running mate.

During his speech at the rally, United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain talked about class warfare between workers and the rich, as well as the union’s successes — referencing the union’s strike at General Motors plants five years ago.

”Donald Trump said nothing, and Donald Trump did nothing to help auto workers,” said Fain. “You want to know where Kamala Harris was in 2019? she was on the picket line for striking workers.”

The union had backed President Joe Biden, but held off on endorsing Harris until doing so last week. Fain had pushed the Harris campaign to select Governor Walz, saying the 2024 presidential election was a way for people to strike back against “the billionaire class.”

“This is our generation’s defining moment, and this election is our opportunity to take our lives back,” said Fain. “So Michigan, let’s get to work.”

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer also spoke at the rally on Wednesday, telling the crowd that Walz is “the real deal. He’s the only governor I know who curses more than I do, and I have a feeling that’s about to change.”

Whitmer — who did not make the short list of possible vice president nominees on the Democratic ticket and denied any interest in leaving Michigan — also told rally goers not to put their faith in Trump.

“We cannot trust Donald Trump, and we must make sure he does not get back into the White House,” she said. “I mean, think about it, you wouldn’t buy a used car from this guy. How can you expect him to support the auto industry?”

Sen. J.D. Vance made his own stops in Michigan and Wisconsin on Wednesday, intent on showing that Republicans will compete in the “blue wall” of Midwestern states. He called Walz a “crazy radical” and said that Harris’ decision to pick him as a running mate shows that she “bends the knee to the far left of the Democratic Party.”

Harris and Walz are meeting with more local UAW members in metro Detroit on Thursday.

Associated Press writers Darlene Superville and Joey Cappelletti contributed to this report.

The United Auto Workers union has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president following a vote by the UAW International Executive Board, the organization announced Wednesday.

The news comes a week before the presumed Democratic nominee is expected to appear alongside her chosen running mate at a rally in Detroit next Wednesday, Aug. 7.

“Her historic candidacy builds on the Biden-Harris administration’s proven track record of standing with the UAW and delivering major gains for the working class,” the UAW statement read.  “Years before the Stand Up Strike, Kamala Harris walked the picket line with striking autoworkers in 2019, has taken on corporate price-gouging and profiteering, and has spoken out and voted against unfair trade deals that hurt the American worker like NAFTA and NAFTA 2.0, the USMCA.”

Harris is expected to meet directly with UAW members and leaders during her visit to Detroit to hear about the issues that matter to Michigan workers.

“This campaign is bringing together people from all walks of life, building a movement that can defeat Donald Trump at the ballot box,” said UAW President Shawn Fain in a statement. “For our one million active and retired members, the choice is clear: We will elect Kamala Harris to be our next President this November.”

The visit marks the first time Harris has come to Michigan since President Joe Biden announced he was stepping down from the 2024 presidential race.

“Vice President Harris is honored to receive the endorsement of the United Auto Workers, and knows it comes with the responsibility to fight for unions and working families as she’s done her whole career,” said Harris for President Campaign Manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez following the endorsement.

• Who will Kamala Harris choose to be her VP candidate?
• Who is Vice President Kamala Harris as a politician?
• Michigan Democrats seek reset with Harris at top of ticket

Since Vice President Kamala Harris’ endorsement from President Joe Biden last Sunday, an overwhelming majority of congressional Democrats, governors and delegates have pledged their support for her as the Democratic Party nominee.

While this support is non-binding, it is significant for the start of her campaign for the official nomination. 

But Harris’ vice presidency has not been without it’s criticism, as many question her efforts to secure the border — one of her frontline tasks during her time in office — at a time when immigration has become a central issue in Republican messaging.

Elaina Plott Calabro, a staff writer for The Atlantic who has written extensively about Harris’ vice presidency, joined Created Equal on Thursday to discuss her recent article about how the former prosecutor and presumptive Democratic nominee can embrace her law-enforcement record to compete against Trump this November. 

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Guest:

Elaina Plott Calabro is a staff writer for The Atlantic. She has been reporting on Harris’s career both before and during her time as vice president of the United States. She says that Harris took a backseat as vice president because she was more comfortable in a supportive role after America’s response to her attempted immigration reform in Central America. 

“I remember [Joe Biden’s former Chief of Staff Ron Klain] said to me in our interview that her response was: ‘I’m just terrified of doing something that sets back the administration, or distracts from the mission.’ She really took it seriously. Her mandate as vice president was to sort of support the president and make sure that people saw him as a really accomplished individual, [which was] an agenda that was working for them,” she said. “She was comfortable in that role, sort of working more behind the scenes – which is why I think I levy a lot of responsibility on Joe Biden for kind of freeing her from those inherent [or] structural inhibitions of the vice presidency, to let her be more of a star in her own right [with the endorsement].”

Listen to Created Equal with host Stephen Henderson weekdays from 9-10 a.m. ET on 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand.