Harris-Walz to kick off 'Road to Chicago' bus tour from Pittsburgh Sunday

Vice President Kamala Harris and running mate Gov. Tim Walz will kick off a bus tour from Pittsburgh Sunday, stopping in multiple Western Pennsylvania spots.

The tour, dubbed "on the Road to Chicago," comes the day before the Democratic National Convention kicks off in Chicago, the Harris-Walz campaign told USA TODAY Wednesday.

The candidates' spouses Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and Gwen Walz will join them on the tour, the first time all four are campaigning together. The group will focus on meeting voters in their communities, stopping at volunteer canvass events and local retailers.

This will be Harris' eighth visit to Pennsylvania this year. The tour is scheduled after Harris is expected to make her first policy-centered speech in Raleigh, North Carolina Friday.

More: Coach Walz's primetime debut: Four takeaways from the first Harris-Walz rally

Pennsylvania is a key battleground state

Pennsylvania provides 19 electoral votes (one less than it did in 2020). It was one of a handful of states that switched its vote from Donald Trump in 2016 to the Democratic Party in 2020.

In 2016, Trump won the state by less than 50,000 votes, beating Hillary Clinton with 48.6% of the vote compared to 47.9% of the vote for Clinton.

In 2020, President Joe Biden won 50% of the votes, beating Trump who won 48.8% of the vote.

Harris has already made several campaign stops in Pennsylvania, including her first appearance with running mate Walz. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was another top contender for vice president.

When is the Democratic National Convention?

Harris' western Pennsylvania tour comes as many others in the party are headed to Chicago for the DNC.

The DNC is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 19 through Thursday Aug. 22.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Harris-Walz to kick off 'Road to Chicago' bus tour from Pittsburgh Sunday