Kamala Harris Returns To Pennsylvania: A Rally With Political Implications

Vice President Kamala Harris is making her return to the battleground state of Pennsylvania on Monday with a rally in Erie, which says her opponent owes more than $40,000 for public safety costs. The upcoming event is not just a campaign stop; it highlights the financial obligations that have arisen from previous campaign visits. This situation could influence the political narrative as the election approaches.

The city has incurred costs for campaign visits there this election season, but the mayor's office told Newsweek that former President Donald Trump’s campaign has had outstanding bills since 2018. This financial burden adds an interesting layer to the political climate in Pennsylvania, a critical state in the upcoming election.

“The Trump Campaign still owes the City of Erie a total of $40,329.27 for public safety costs associated with campaign visits in 2018 and 2023,” Rob Lee, director of communications, told Newsweek. “These costs were for Police, Fire, and Public Works personnel overtime.” The Republican nominee owes $35,129.27 from 2018 and an additional $5,000 from 2023, according to Lee.

Lee added that the city plans to bill Trump's campaign for his most recent visit on September 29, but those costs are not available yet. Newsweek reached out to Trump’s campaign for comment.

Similarly, once Harris' event is over, the city departments involved with the logistics and security will "tally up any overtime costs" and submit the numbers to the city's finance department, Lee said. An invoice will be sent to the Harris campaign.

The city told the Erie Times-News that a $40,815 invoice was already sent to the Harris campaign after her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, campaigned at Liberty Park on September 5.

Details of Harris' Upcoming Rally

Harris' rally will be at the Erie Insurance Arena from 5 to 9 p.m. Doors open at 3, and attendees are asked to arrive by 6:15. The rally can be streamed at Harris' campaign YouTube page.

"The City of Erie is going through an amazing transformation and revitalization," Mayor Joe Schember told Newsweek. "Vice President Harris and the Biden Administration have played a big role in that with funding they provided through the American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. I am very glad she is coming to see in person the people of Erie who are benefitting the most from these investments."

Harris' campaign told CNN that at her rally in Erie Monday night, the Vice President will "ratchet up warnings about the risk a second Donald Trump term poses to the American people if he returns to power, pointing to his increasingly unhinged and dangerous rhetoric at his rallies calling his fellow Americans 'the enemy from within.'

The campaign is also planning on releasing a new ad titled "Enemy Within" that will feature Trump’s former national security aides Olivia Troye and Kevin Caroll warning against a second term for the former president.

Key Political Implications for Pennsylvania

Prior to her rally, Harris will meet with Black leaders to discuss her Opportunity Agenda for Black Men. The plan includes fully forgiving loans of up to $20,000 for Black entrepreneurs as well as legalizing recreational marijuana.

"Vice President Harris will also tell us more about her plans for the future of our country and the families in our amazing city," Schember said.

This is Harris' 10th visit to Pennsylvania this election season. Erie is a Democratic-majority city but is bordered by areas with a significant number of Republicans.

Also Monday night, Trump will hold a town hall at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center and Fairgrounds in Oaks. Last week, he made stops in Scranton and Reading. His running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, held a rally in Johnstown on Saturday.

In the election, the winner will need to carry some or all of the following seven battleground states: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Pennsylvania has 19 electoral votes and has been said to be the most important state of this election.

Harris' clearest path to victory in November is to win the three Blue Wall swing states—Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania—barring surprising results elsewhere. In this scenario, she would