Why Harris and Walz picked Pennsylvania for first joint rally

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Vice President Kamala Harris will hold her first campaign rally with her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz , by her side tonight in Philadelphia. The rally at the Liacouras Center on Temple University's campus starts at 5 p.m.

Harris named Walz as her vice presidential pick Tuesday morning, according to CBS News.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who was reportedly among the top two finalists for the job, is scheduled to speak at the rally in Philadelphia before Harris takes the stage.

Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump's running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, is slated to appear in Philadelphia at noon today.

President Biden made multiple stops in the commonwealth before dropping out of the race, and set up his campaign headquarters in nearby Wilmington, Delaware.

Trump has visited Pennsylvania several times. Most recently, Trump was in Harrisburg for a rally last week. It was Trump's first visit back to the commonwealth since an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler on July 13.

Why is the Keystone State so popular with presidential candidates?

Why Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania has 19 votes in the Electoral College. Mr. Biden won the state in 2020 , and Trump won it in 2016 after voters had chosen Democratic candidates for the previous six presidential elections.

John Kennedy, a political science professor at West Chester University, said Pennsylvania is "the tipping point state in this election" and is "the key" for either candidate to get to the 270 electoral votes needed to clinch the presidency.

The most recent CBS News state-level estimate shows Harris and Trump tied at 50% among likely voters in Pennsylvania.

Why Philadelphia?

Harris held her first campaign rally when she launched her presidential campaign in the battleground state of Wisconsin on July 23. Her rally tonight in Philadelphia is her first with her running mate, and the location has significance.

"Philadelphia obviously is the largest city, has the largest reservoir of votes," Kennedy said.

But, Kennedy said, "turnout within the city has been down recently."

"So that's been concerning and [Democrats] need to obviously amplify their message in order to maximize turnout in the city," he said.

Kennedy said Philadelphia is also symbolic, especially because Harris' messaging has focused on freedom. Philly's history as the birthplace of the nation makes it "a clear and obvious choice" for an event like this, he said.

There is also a recent history of presidential candidates launching their campaigns in Philadelphia.

Mr. Biden set up his 2020 campaign headquarters in Philadelphia and kicked off his campaign at a rally at Eakins Oval in May 2019.

Mr. Biden visited the city several times in 2024 and crisscrossed the state before ending his campaign on July 21.

Former President Donald Trump has also prioritized the city, campaigning at the same arena in North Philadelphia in June and at SneakerCon earlier in the year.

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. launched his campaign at Independence Mall in October 2023.