Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, made a series of campaign stops Sunday in Western Pennsylvania, weaving her way through Beaver and Allegheny counties in an effort to build momentum ahead of the Democratic National Convention.

Harris visited six locations, speaking with liberal supporters, high school football players, service workers and diners on a tour focused on inspiring her base, while also exuding joy about the future America.

The sitting vice president visited Rochester and Aliquippa in Beaver County, giving speeches focused on hope and promise, and decrying efforts to divide the country.

Harris spoke to the Aliquippa High School football team, last year’s state champs, and said she was counting on them to continue to excel.

“Our nation is counting on your excellence,” she said. “And we want to give you every opportunity to succeed.”

The 6-hour visit was heavy on Western Pennsylvania icons, including getting an assist from Steelers legend Jerome “The Bus” Bettis, who introduced the campaign at Aliquippa High School. Harris and Walz also made quick stops at Western Pennsylvania staples Sheetz and Primanti Bros.

Harris also took questions from the press after a stop at a Primanti Bros. restaurant in Moon, where she answered questions about her campaign and the Israel-Hamas War.

“I very much consider us the underdog,” she said of her campaign. “We have a lot of work to do to earn the vote of the American people. That’s why we’re on this bus tour today and we’re going to be traveling the country as we’ve been and talking with folks and listening to folks and hopefully earning their vote.”

Harris spoke to dozens of Beaver County supporters in Rochester for about five minutes. She spoke about the campaign’s policies of backing LGBTQ rights, ending child poverty and “fighting for the middle class.” The speech was meant to fire up local Democrats.

Kamala Harris took a few questions from the press outside of Primanti Bros. in Moon. She was asked about her campaign in Pennsylvania, a ceasefire deal in Gaza, and other topics. Will post second half of video in thread pic.twitter.com/ILZygNfbBw

— Ryan Deto (@RyanDeto) August 18, 2024

“The strength of a leader is not about who you beat down, but who you lift up,” Harris said.

Dozens of supporters were waiting outside of the Democratic headquarters in Rochester, hoping to catch a glimpse of Harris, Walz and their spouses. Rochester also attracted a small group of Trump supporters, who jeered at the bus tour as it drove by.

Walz said the energy of the campaign is electric, citing recent large rallies held across the country.

He said Harris is bringing out “the joy in the hearts of Americans.”

Walz, a former high school football coach, said there is still plenty of work left for the campaign, and there will be no rest until after the election in November.

“Coming into football country, and as a football coach, you don’t hope to win, you plan to win,” he said to the cheering crowd.

After the speeches at Rochester, the campaign began what was expected to be a series of brief visits with a stop at a fire station in Aliquippa.

Vice President Kamala Harris says hello go to Hank the dog of the Aliquippa Fire Department. Harris gifted the fire department with a burnt almond torte from Prantl’s. pic.twitter.com/lD4zS9iWSG

— Ryan Deto (@RyanDeto) August 18, 2024

The Harris plane landed in Pittsburgh at about 1:15 p.m. and the bus tour got underway about 1:45 p.m. Harris and Walz briefly greeted some of the people in the crowd at the airport before the tour moved out.

Jerome Bettis, legendary Pittsburgh Steeler “the Bus” is here with Bob Casey. He is here as part of Harris- Walz bus tour pic.twitter.com/tBVPzT5hPz

— Ryan Deto (@RyanDeto) August 18, 2024

One of the invited supporters at the airport, 62-year-old Jennifer Robbins of Ross, said she was thrilled by the level of excitement inside the Wright Bros. Aero hangar in Moon.

“It feels like we are at a concert,” Robbins said as music blared from speakers and supporters streamed in.

A local Democratic committeewoman, she said she is backing the Harris-Walz ticket because of its support for abortion access in the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned.

Jennifer Robbins and Rosie Rabish from the North Hills are here as crowd now swells to over 100. Robbins said the energy is like a concert, and it is growing. They said they are pumped to see Harris and Walz pic.twitter.com/CLGcSsDkdS

— Ryan Deto (@RyanDeto) August 18, 2024

Derek Haeussler, 20, of Pittsburgh’s South Side Slopes, said he woke up at 6 a.m., left shortly after that and then waited outside the hangar for over an hour to get a front row spot.

“I can’t even describe the energy,” he said. “Harris and Walz know how important Western Pennsylvania is.”

Derek Haeussler, 20 of Pittsburgh's South Side Slopes, said the energy inside the hangar is "unreal." He woke up a 6 a.m. and waited for over an hour to get a front-row spot in the hangar for the Harris-Walz in Pittsburgh. pic.twitter.com/bO5cyBgJ7n

— Ryan Deto (@RyanDeto) August 18, 2024

Emily Best, 40, traveled from Brussels, Belgium, to attend the event with her mother, Ellen Garbury, 69, who lives in Butler.

“It feels so festive. Everybody I have talked to is fired up,” Best said.

Emily Best, a Butler native, travelled home all the way from Brussels, Belgium to attend the invited Harris-Walz event outside of the Pittsburgh airport. She is with her mom Ellen. “It feels so festive” said Best. pic.twitter.com/Kd76ZNBung

— Ryan Deto (@RyanDeto) August 18, 2024

In a statement released Sunday morning, the campaign advisors for former President Donald Trump said he and running mate Sen. J.D. Vance will be meeting with Americans in contested states.

“At the DNC, Kamala Harris will hide behind celebrities because everyday families know that she has been an absolute disaster for our nation, and real Americans are worse off now than four years ago,” the statement said. “President Trump and Senator Vance will remind voters that under their leadership, we can end inflation, protect our communities from violent criminals, secure the border, and Make America Great Again.”

Following the campaign stops Sunday in Western Pennsylvania, Harris and Walz will fly to Chicago for the Democratic National Convention, which gets underway Monday.

As for the Western Pennsylvania stops on Sunday, Allegheny County has remained a solid base for Democrats over the decades, while Beaver County has fallen out of their grasp in the past several presidential elections. Even so, towns along the Ohio and Beaver rivers have remained pockets of blue politically in what has increasing become hostile territory for Democrats.

Maintaining votes in these industrial and largely white, working-class areas remain vital to Democratic candidates in Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state with 19 electoral votes up for grabs.

The bus tour was expected to focus on meeting voters in community settings such as retail locations. The campaign did not publicly release a schedule of the planned stops.

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