Vice President Harris’ ascension to the top of the presidential ticket and subsequent announcement of Tim Walz as her running mate has energized Democratic election efforts, party leaders at several levels said Friday.
For state Del. Joshua Cole, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine and 7th District congressional candidate Eugene Vindman, there’s a noticeable difference between now and just a few weeks ago, when President Biden was still the presumptive nominee.
Then, getting involved with the election seemed like a duty, said Cole, necessary work to protect democracy.
“Now, there’s excitement in the air,” Cole, who represents a portion of the Fredericksburg area, said at a Kaine rally in Spotsylvania County near Riverbend High School. “Not only do we gotta do it, but we’re excited about what we have to do.”
According to Kaine, who is running for his third team in Washington, the feeling is palpable beyond traditional Democratic strongholds.
“There’s a surge everywhere, and not just in the metropolitan areas,” Kaine said, adding that the party is also seeing improving poll numbers.
In addition, there’s a rush of first-time political volunteers who want to get involved because they’re excited about Harris, he said.
“We’re seeing that all over the state,” said Kaine, who faces Republican nominee Hung Cao in the Nov. 5 election.
Put another way, Vindman said that a month ago there was widespread anxiety about the election. People were nervous.
“Now there’s something else,” Vindman, who faces GOP nominee Derrick Anderson, said at a campaign event at Castiglia’s Italian Restaurant in Fredericksburg. “Now there’s hope.”
Kaine, who spoke at both the Spotsylvania and Fredericksburg events, said he knows Harris as a friend. She was elected to the U.S. Senate from California when he was the Democratic vice-presidential candidate in 2016.
He said he watched her galvanize support from other senators on the issue of maternal mortality and lead the push for a package of legislation called the “Momnibus.” Eventually, major legislation was approved and results followed, he said, as healthcare coverage for new mothers was bolstered.
“That’s an example of who Kamala is: Identify a problem; gather others around who care about it; don’t go small, go big; find a solution; get a result,” Kaine said.
Similarly, he said his Virginia Democratic colleague, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, appreciated Harris’ hard work on the Senate Intelligence Committee, which Warner chairs. She used her prosecutorial background, did all her homework and asked the tough questions of witnesses, Kaine said.
“This is the kind of senator and vice president that Kamala has been and is, and it’s the kind of president she’ll be,” Kaine said.
As for Harris’ choice of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate?
Kaine said he had to admit a bias for someone named “Tim” who is also from the Midwest like him and is also a governor, as he was previously.
The senator was impressed by another of Walz’s previous jobs, too.
“Not bad having a high school teacher as vice president, right?” Kaine said.
At the Castiglia’s event, Kaine and Vindman were endorsed by the National Security Leaders for America, a bipartisan group of Republicans, Democrats and Independents. The group consists of more than 700 former and retired senior military leaders and executive public servants.
Vindman defeated a crowded field of contenders for the Democratic nomination in the 7th District five years after he helped his twin brother file a report that led to the first impeachment inquiry into former President Donald Trump.
The 7th District seat will be open because current Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, has decided to run for governor instead of seeking re-election. Spanberger was first elected in 2018.
