ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice-presidential candidate running alongside Vice President Kamala Harris, visited the Lehigh Valley on Tuesday as part of a campaign tour through Pennsylvania, aiming to energize supporters in a state pivotal to the upcoming election.
Walz’s plane landed at Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) around 2:30 p.m. he was greeted on the tarmac by U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, D-Pa., Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk, and a small group of constituents and journalists.
A motorcade awaited the governor, who escorted him to El Topico, a popular Allentown restaurant, where he delivered remarks to an intimate gathering of local supporters.
At El Topico, Walz expressed gratitude for the community’s commitment and commended their role in making Pennsylvania and the country a better place.
“I couldn’t be prouder to stand with the American people…a place where everybody belongs, where everybody gets an opportunity to thrive,” he said.
Highlighting the importance of individual freedoms, Walz emphasized that “together we can make things stronger,” noting the unique spirit and hard work of communities like those in the Lehigh Valley.
Following his Allentown visit, Walz traveled to Scranton, where he delivered a more extended address to a larger crowd.
At the Scranton rally, he honored Pennsylvania’s rich labor history and paid homage to the state’s contributions to national progress. “You came here because you love this country,” he said, acknowledging the region’s sacrifices and dedication.
Praising President Joe Biden’s commitment to putting America first, Walz emphasized the contrast between Biden’s administration and a potential return to a Trump-led government.
“Joe Biden has secured his place in history by upholding that tradition…always thinking of the American people,” he stated, adding that Harris’s patriotism and dedication have guided her career in public service.
Reflecting on his partnership with Harris, Walz said, “Kamala Harris says this often…where else but this great country could you have a middle-class kid from Oakland and a middle-class kid from rural Nebraska be running for president and vice president of the United States.”
He urged supporters not to become complacent, emphasizing the stakes of the upcoming election: “We’re running like everything’s on the line because everything’s on the line.”
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump’s rally is scheduled for next Tuesday at the PPL Center in Allentown, underscoring the growing intensity in Pennsylvania as Election Day nears.
Both candidates are working to secure votes in what is shaping up to be one of the most closely contested states in this election.
