Kamala Harris Shows She’s NOT A “People’s President” After Excluding Locals From Recent Rally

Daily Report September 15,2024

Vice President Kamala Harris made a brief stop in deep-red Pennsylvania on Friday, but her choice to keep the event invite-only left many local voters feeling excluded.

While hundreds of supporters gathered at the John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport, chanting “Ka-ma-la,” Harris’s event was restricted to a select group, leaving many residents disappointed. Her visit included a stop at Classic Elements, a small local bookstore, where she spoke for 30 minutes to highlight her support for small businesses.

However, both the airport arrival and the bookstore event were invite-only, leaving many Johnstown residents without the chance to hear from the vice president directly. “She’s hiding from most of the people,” said Ed Luce, an undecided voter. “She needs to convince a lot of the working poor people.”

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Johnstown, once a Democratic stronghold with a strong union presence, has seen a shift in political leanings since a devastating flood in 1977 wiped out many of the high-paying union jobs. The county voted overwhelmingly for Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020, and with Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes at stake, the state is seen as critical to securing victory this November.

“Old school Democrats are what the Republicans are now,” said Jim Ardary, expressing frustration over the shift in party values.

Meanwhile, Greg Dadura, vice president of United Steelworkers Local 2632, still believes in the Democratic Party’s support for working people. He stood with other Harris supporters at the airport to show his backing. “I still believe the Democrats are the working man’s party,” Dadura said, referencing the party’s stance on union organizing. But he acknowledged that many of his fellow union members are leaning towards Trump, drawn to proposals like his recent promise to eliminate taxes on overtime pay.

Many in Johnstown were left feeling snubbed by Harris’s invite-only events, especially compared to Trump’s rally earlier in the month, which saw more than 6,000 people crowding the Cambria County War Memorial. Even more supporters watched from outside when the venue reached capacity. “She could have gone down to the War Memorial like Trump did,” Luce said, though he noted that “city folks get scared out in the country.”

For some, Harris’s limited-access events came off as elitist. “If you’re campaigning, your job is to get your word out to as many people as possible,” said AJ Hasley, a local veteran who voted for Trump in 2020. He added that the invite-only setup “makes me think she only cares about the rich people, the people going to give money to her campaign.”

First-time voter Hasley plans to support Trump again but admitted he wouldn’t have minded hearing Harris’s platform. “I really don’t know that much about [Kamala],” he said. “I wouldn’t have minded to watch her talk.”

Even some Harris supporters felt left out. “I just don’t think it’s fair,” said Arriana Dixon, a server planning to vote for Harris. Dixon had hoped to hear more about how Harris plans to address key issues like border security.

Phyllis Champine, a 72-year-old Harris supporter, was also disappointed she couldn’t attend the event, but she still found comfort in being nearby. “Being near her was good enough for me,” she said, proudly wearing a homemade Kamala Harris blouse. Despite her disappointment, Champine remained hopeful. “We all believe she’s coming back,” she said. “We want her back.”

The sentiment was echoed by many in the town, eager to hear more from the vice president as the election approaches. However, for now, the frustration over being left out lingers.