Kamala Harris rallies in Arizona as early voting begins
Vice President Kamala Harris campaigns in Arizona and speaks on women’s rights, the importance of the election and encourages early voting.
Gerardo Ramirez referred to it as a pinnacle moment in his 32 years: On Thursday, the Eloy resident introduced Vice President Kamala Harris at a campaign rally held at the Rawhide Event Center.
Ramirez told the 7,000 attendees at the rally about how he is a registered Republican, whose grandfather had worked as a bracero, a farmworker program. And from the stage, he revealed why he’s supporting Harris for president in this election.
“She has been an unwavering champion for workers her entire career,” he said. “Folks like me, we keep America running, and we deserve a leader who will fight for us. Vice President Harris is committed to workers and making sure we live in a country that works for everyone, not just a few.”
Ramirez is a proud member and one of four trustees for the Teamsters Local Union 104, which represents Arizona. As a trustee, he told The Arizona Republic that his chapter asked him to speak at the Harris rally. He gladly accepted on behalf of the 10,000 union members.
On Sept. 30, the Local 104 endorsed Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for president and vice president. The decision comes on the heels of the national Teamsters organization deciding not to endorse either candidate. The union leadership also spoke at both the Democrat and Republican national conventions, causing some head-scratching.
Ramirez said the union has begun reaching out to its members, encouraging them to cast their ballots for Harris. She is the obvious choice, he said.
“What we do, we organize people, we unionize people, we don’t have time for corporate greed and their B.S.” he said. “We keep America working. We are the backbone of America. And that’s who we’re here to support. And that’s why we’re here,” he said.
At several points during his remarks onstage, Ramirez mispronounced Harris’ first name, placing an emphasis on the second syllable instead of the first. That elicited a strong response from the crowd who corrected him by chanting “Kamala” repeatedly.
After a few attempts, Ramirez got it right and was met with loud cheers. But the mishap didn’t take away from his experience.
“It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish 100 percent,” he said. “I might have fumbled the ball, but I still scored the touchdown at the end of the day. You heard the crowd, right?”
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Publish date : 2024-10-09 13:01:00
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