JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris stopped in Jacksonville on Monday.
She made an appearance in the River City for a voter mobilization event. This stop comes shortly after her visit to Orlando to encourage early voting.
The Florida Times-Union reported Harris took the stage at an event at the University of North Florida with an umbrella in hand and a warm "DUUUVAAL" greeting.
"I came to Florida today to help kick off early voting and I came to thank you for all you're doing. The voters of Florida, you guys are going to determine the outcome of this election," she said. "You [all] are going to have an impact on people you'll never meet ... I am here on behalf of Joe Biden and myself to say thank you."
Harris touched on talking points including the Affordable Care Act, food deserts, poverty and the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Donald Trump's measure of the economy is based on the stock market. Our measurement is based on how we're doing," she said. Harris hammered down on President Donald Trump's early knowledge of the coronavirus' severity.
Supporters of both Biden and Harris and President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence lined the streets of UNF's campus prior to Harris's arrival.
"I find the election to be really, really important, and since this is both of our first elections, we came out here to support Biden and Harris," UNF freshman Christopher Savickis said standing with fellow freshman Giana Mercado.
"I think that it's really cool that she came to UNF," Mercado added. I was not expecting this, and I think it's a great way to get the support of the students to make sure we do vote," she said.
While Biden and Harris' supporters welcomed Harris' visit, Trump and Pence's supporters protested her visit peacefully.
"I just wanted to show people how to protest peacefully without laying in the roads or anything," Florida State College at Jacksonville student and Trump supporter Joseph Hale said. "I just thought people should see that and how we should act as good American citizens."
Harris told the crowd of supporters and local Democratic representatives at the drive-in rally at UNF she visited Florida Monday to kick off early voting.
"Alright, who voted today," she asked the crowd.
Harris also stressed the importance of voting and the importance of Florida in this election.
"We're here right now, standing in the rain because we know we are better than this and we know that the strength of our democracy is in the strength of the people," Harris said.
Before Harris spoke to the crowd at an invite-only event, several local Democratic representatives spoke, including Duval County School Board member Darryl Willie, Jacksonville City Council member Brenda Priestly Jackson, State Representative Tracie Davis, Senate Minority Leader Audrey Gibson and Congressman Al Lawson. Chairman of the Duval County Democratic Party Daniel Henry attended the event as well.
"I think it was amazing [to see Harris]," Henry said.
"When you see the principal here, the person that is on the ticket, I think it has an amazing effect in galvanizing support," Henry said.
Before the event at UNF, Harris visited an early voting site on the Northside of Jacksonville and talked with voters.
Regarding Harris's visit to Jacksonville, the Trump campaign issued the following statement:
“Kamala Harris’s last-minute efforts in Florida are too little, too late. Regardless of who Joe Biden sends to stump in the Sunshine State on his behalf, Floridians will soundly reject Biden’s platform that will destroy jobs, pack the courts, and hike taxes. Meanwhile, President Trump and Republicans are experiencing record-high enthusiasm and have a massive ground game operation that will deliver Florida on November 3rd.”