Inside the Harris-Walz fundraiser in Park City

More than 100 people attended a Utah fundraiser where Gwen Walz, wife of Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz, spoke about what she sees as the stakes of the 2024 presidential election.

The Friday night fundraiser took place at a private residence high up in the mountains of Park City. Walz recalled saying how if she was ever invited to Utah, she would come — and she made it.

This week, before coming to Utah, Walz spent time in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. After her speech in Park City, she was set to jet off to Nevada. Walz’s trip to the Beehive State comes a few weeks after former President Donald Trump also visited the state for a fundraiser.

Both the Harris-Walz and Trump-Vance campaigns have honed in on Latter-day Saints voters, especially in the battleground states of Nevada and Arizona, believing they may help move the needle on the election in the two swing states. At the fundraiser in Utah on Friday, U.S. Senate candidate Caroline Gleich who is challenging Rep. John Curtis for Utah’s open Senate seat was in attendance along with former Utah state Sen. Scott Howell.

Wearing a blue tweed jacket with a Harris-Walz shirt underneath, Walz told attendees the campaign has not given up anywhere. With signs behind her saying “Coach Walz,” she said the election has become increasingly competitive.

“As we all know, in this race, Tim and Kamala are the underdogs,” said Walz. “And they are still the underdogs in this race. But I know that we can win, and I know that we will win.”

Walz says her husband and Harris have a new way forward

“We are fighting for something — a new way forward,” said Walz. “For nine long years, Trump has been trying to divide us.” But, she contended, Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, have a different vision for the country.

Referencing her background as an English teacher, Gwen Walz said words matter to her. When Harris and Gov. Walz say they have a vision for all Americans, she said they do not mean some Americans, they mean everyone.

This vision includes giving families a tax cut, lowering health care costs and helping people buy homes, Walz said. She said this contrasts with Trump and Ohio Sen. JD Vance’s vision for the country.

“But our opponents in this race do not share that vision, as you well know,” said Walz. “Trump and Vance are not fighting for everyone.” She continued, saying they were fighting for themselves and “their rich donors.”

Walz spoke about her belief that women should have the ability to choose to have abortions and how that is at stake in the upcoming election.

Speaking about how she and her husband were able to have a family because of fertility treatments, she said it should be a choice whether or not to have children.

“Well, when it comes to decisions about our own bodies and our own lives, I have a message for them,” she said. “It is our choice.” Walz explained she has met women who were advocates on this issue for a long time. “Here we are having to fight for it again. They are ready to fight. And I am, too.”

In her remarks, Walz said her husband decided to run in part because he knew some policies were moving to the state level. He was originally elected in 2018 and then won reelection four years later in 2022. She said women in the state Senate and House leadership collaborated with Gov. Walz to enact “the Minnesota agenda.”

Walz’s trip to Wisconsin

Walz also told a story about her recent trip to Wisconsin. She said while she was there she visited a field office and met a woman who was 97-and-a-half years old.

The woman works around the clock making calls at the field office, Walz said. After meeting Walz, she begged her to help get her back out canvassing.

“I think it’s okay,” Walz recalled telling her. “You’re doing the work right here in front of you by making those calls.” Scanning the audience in the room, she said if this woman who is 97 years old can do the work, so could everyone there.

“There are just 18 days left until this election. 18,” said Walz. “And friends, there’s a lot of work in front of us. We need all hands on deck. Not just for Kamala and Tim, but Democrats up and down the ballot.”

Presidential campaigns coming to Utah

Trump held a fundraiser at a private hangar in Salt Lake City last month. Hundreds of people attended the event where Trump reportedly spoke about how it will be important to campaign in nearby Arizona. Utah GOP chair Rob Axson took groups of Utah Republicans to Arizona and Nevada earlier this month to help knock doors.

Earlier this year, Harris visited Utah for a fundraiser, and later second gentleman Doug Emhoff was in Utah for a fundraiser in June. Last year, President Joe Biden attended a fundraiser in Utah and in January so did first lady Jill Biden.