Harris campaign has Philly Democrats reinvigorated

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Campaign workers have changed the signs at what had been President Biden’s reelection headquarters in Fairmount, near the Philadelphia Museum of Art, to reflect the new name at the top of the ticket. Along with the newly updated signage, campaign workers have some renewed enthusiasm for winning the presidency.

Sharif Street, Pennsylvania’s Democratic Party chair, believes there is new energy with Vice President Harris taking over as the party’s standard-bearer.

Street said the financial support for Harris just in the few days since Biden decided to step aside is evidence of that energy.

“You look at 44,000, 45,000 women getting on a call and giving money, Black women, you see 35,000 Black men getting on a call and giving money, $2.5 million,” he said. “She broke Barack Obama’s single fundraising day.”

Kellan White, senior advisor to the Harris campaign, said the campaign will take to the streets with a grassroots effort.

“We’re going to go out there and do the work every day. We’re going to knock on the doors, have the conversations and win Pennsylvania, because we know Pennsylvania is the keystone to the entire Electoral College,” White said.

The campaign will also focus on engaging newly energized young people who could be more willing to work for a candidate closer to their age.

“We’re seeing people coming to our offices after the announcement to find out how they can volunteer,” White said. “We have people cold-calling people they know in politics asking how they can volunteer. We feel the energy.”

The campaign is also recruiting lots of new volunteers. He said he was stopped when he had a backpack with a Harris sign peeking out, with someone asking where people could volunteer.

The situation also turns the tables on a major Republican argument in the campaign: age. Trump is 78; Harris is 59 and won’t turn 60 until just before Election Day.

The Republican mantra that President Biden was too old to serve another four years is now moot. State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta said it’s time to turn the tables on the GOP to point out that former President Trump isn’t so young either.

“Let’s talk about age in this race,” Kenyatta said. “Donald Trump is the oldest person to now lead a presidential ticket. He would be the oldest nominee. I am concerned about his age, his vitality and, frankly, about his memory.”

Street has other concerns.

“Malcolm thinks he’s demented and doesn’t know what’s going on, and I think he’s a liar, but either way that’s bad for the American people,” he said.

The state party’s fervor could reach another level if Harris selects Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro as her running mate — a decision that is expected in the next few weeks.

Campaign officials said polls are showing them behind, but insisted they don’t pay attention to anything but the final vote tally on Election Day.