PHILADELPHIA — PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kamala Harris said Sunday that “no one can stay away” from this year’s presidential election, capping a day of campaigning in the largest city in the crucial state of Pennsylvania.

“We are focused on the future and the needs of the American people,” Harris said, “unlike Donald Trump, who spends all his time looking in the mirror and focusing on himself.”

Speaking at a city recreation center, the Democratic vice president pointed the finger at young voters, praising them for being “rightly impatient for change,” and told the audience that “it there are too many issues” in the campaign.

“We must not wake up the day after the election and regret what we could have done over the next nine days,” Harris said.

Mark Ruffalo and Don Cheadle, two actors who starred in Marvel’s “Avengers” films, were at the rally. Harris reminded the crowd that the deadline for early voting in Pennsylvania is Tuesday, telling them to “do it tomorrow if you can.”

Energizing voters in Philadelphia, a traditional Democratic stronghold, is crucial to Harris’ chances of beating Republican nominee Donald Trump. If turnout falls short here, it will struggle to overcome Trump’s advantages in rural Pennsylvania.

“Philadelphia is a very important step on our path to victory,” Harris told reporters. “That’s why I spend time here. But I’m very optimistic about the enthusiasm.

Kenny Payne, 62, said Harris would win and “it wouldn’t be close.” The Democratic voter said he was playing golf with a group of Republicans who say they won’t vote for Trump again.

“I think we’ll all be in bed by midnight,” he said outside the recreation center where Harris was speaking.

Patrick Boe, 46, said he was confident about the city’s enthusiasm for Harris, but he acknowledged his view may be biased.

“I’m in a bubble here,” Boe said.

Randyll Butler, a youth basketball coach who introduced Harris, said the election was in the “fourth quarter.”

“We can’t get enough of it,” she said. “We cannot rest on our laurels. »

The Democratic coalition relies on voters of color, and Harris’ route on Sunday reflects that focus. She began the day with the black congregation of the Church of Christian Compassion, where she said the United States was “committed to turning the page on hatred and division.”

Harris was inspired by the story of the Apostle Paul, who overcame difficulties to spread the word of Jesus.

“In difficult times when we may grow weary of doing good, we must remember the power at work within us, the divine power that transformed Paul’s life, guided him through the shipwreck, and saved him. sustained through hardship,” Harris said.

W. Lonnie Herndon, the church’s senior pastor, introduced Harris as “the voice of the future” and followed his remarks with a sermon about compassion and how “strong people never put others down, they raise them.”

“We’re going to go out and vote,” he said as Harris listened from her front-row seat. “And let me be very clear. We don’t elect a pastor. We are electing a president who will take care of this divided United States and bring us together.

His next stop was Philly Cutz, a hair salon in West Philadelphia. Pennsylvania State Representative Jordan Harris moderated a conversation with Harris and Black men about improving racial representation in education. A poster of Barack Obama, the first black president, hung on the wall.

“We don’t pay teachers enough,” said Harris, who would be the second black president and first female president, if elected. “Student debt is a problem. »

Outside the store, people stood on stoops and lined the sidewalks hoping to catch a glimpse of Harris. “The White House MVP!” » someone shouted.

Harris visited the nearby Hakim’s Bookstore, which specializes in African-American history.

” It’s beautiful. It’s so beautiful,” she said, asking to see some good books for 6- and 8-year-olds, the same age as her nieces.

Harris joked about his weight with Ann Hughes, the mother of Pennsylvania State Senator Vincent Hughes.

“They work me to the bone,” she said.

After leaving the bookstore, Harris went to a Puerto Rican restaurant called Freddy and Tony’s, where she thanked the volunteers and told them, “We’re going to win.”

She also met young basketball players at the Alan Horowitz “Sixth Man” Center. The coach said the players are “students first, athletes second.” Harris told them to “think of your brain as a muscle and when you exercise it, it gets stronger.”

Harris tried to stay focused on abortion rights in the latter part of the campaign, notably during her appearances with Beyoncé And Michelle Obama. In an interview with CBS News broadcast Sunday, Harris declined to say whether she would support restrictions on abortion, emphasizing the need to reinstate Roe v. Wade.

“It’s that basic,” Harris said.

The nation’s right to abortion was struck down two years ago by the Supreme Court’s conservative majority, made up of three justices appointed by Asset while he was president.

“My first priority is to put these protections back in place and end this pain and injustice that is happening in our country,” Harris said.

She also rejected Trump’s assertion that he would not sign a national abortion ban if elected. “He says everything, come on,” Harris said. “Do we really take his word for it?

Harris and Tim Walzthe Minnesota governor who is his running mate, are expected to visit all seven battleground states in the coming days, as part of a final blitz before the election.

While Harris was in Philadelphia on Sunday, Walz was campaigning in Las Vegas. On Monday, Walz will travel to Manitowoc and Waukesha, Wis., before joining Harris for a rally in Ann Arbor, Mich., where singer Maggie Rogers is scheduled to perform.

Harris will be in the nation’s capital Tuesday to outline what her campaign is calling his “final argument” in a speech from the Ellipse, a grassy area near the White House. It’s the same location where Trump spoke on January 6, 2021, when the Republican called on his supporters to march to the Capitol.

Other campaign stops are planned in Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Nevada and Arizona.

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Megerian reported from Washington.