In a joint appearance in Michigan’s largest university town, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz on Tuesday aimed to strengthen their appeal to young voters and reassure Democrats, as the ongoing tight race to prevent Donald Trump’s return to the White House has raised concerns.
The rally in Ann Arbor, home to the University of Michigan and its nearly 53,000 students, was focused heavily on first-time voters, who are traditionally a key demographic for Democrats. Speaking at a nearby park, Harris offered encouragement to a generation facing what it sees as existential challenges.
“To all the young leaders, all the students here today,” Harris began, “I love your generation. Truly, I do. You have every right to demand change.”
“You are calling for change because you’ve only known a world impacted by climate crisis, and you’re leading the charge to protect our planet and our future. You, who grew up with active shooter drills, are fighting for safe schools. You, who have fewer rights now than your mothers and grandmothers, are standing up for reproductive freedoms. I see you, and I see your power,” Harris said.
The rally’s tone was echoed by Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers, the event’s opening act. “I can’t ignore the headlines any longer. We are days away from a pivotal moment,” Rogers said. “These times are unprecedented, and the future feels uncertain. But fear isn’t enough—we need action. Voting is our future.”
With early voting now open in Michigan, Walz and Harris emphasized the importance of young voters getting to the polls. Their participation could prove decisive in securing Democratic wins in the battleground state, where polling remains tight.
Michigan, alongside Pennsylvania and Wisconsin in the “Blue Wall,” has been critical for Democrats in past elections. While Biden reclaimed these states in 2020 after Trump’s unexpected wins in 2016, this year’s margins appear razor-thin, with Harris and Trump polling neck and neck across several battleground states.
Walz acknowledged the tension: “If you’re feeling nervous, we have the solution: vote for Kamala Harris. I did it last Wednesday with my son, a first-time voter, and it works.”
Of the Blue Wall states, Michigan handed Biden his widest victory margin in 2020, and its governor, Gretchen Whitmer, is a prominent Democratic figure. But Biden’s support for Israel amid the Gaza and Lebanon conflicts has alienated many Arab Americans and Muslims around Detroit, once reliable Democratic voters.
At the Ann Arbor rally, Harris expressed support for a ceasefire in Gaza and hostage releases but otherwise aligned with Biden’s stance. Meanwhile, Wayne County Deputy Executive Assad Turfe, a high-ranking Arab American official, urged the community to support her.
“Vice-President Harris has called for a ceasefire that respects the rights of all, including hostages and displaced families, and allows the Palestinian people dignity and self-determination,” Turfe said. “Trump’s views on Muslims and Arab Americans, and his record, only promise more harm and division.”
Still, a group of young protesters interrupted Harris, chanting “stop the genocide” and waving signs. Harris responded as she has before: “We all want this war to end quickly and the hostages returned, and I will do all I can to make that happen.”
For Haley Litman, a psychology major at the University of Michigan, the conflict in Gaza is a significant issue. Yet, she said, withholding her vote wouldn’t bring change.
“There’s been a lot of discussion on both sides, and it matters to me,” Litman said. “But with Kamala, we have a chance to address these issues. With Trump, I don’t think that chance exists.”
