Utah women supporting Kamala Harris share their ‘why’

Left to right, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, Democratic presidential candidate, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and his wife Gwen Walz greet supporters during a campaign rally at the Liacouras Center at Temple University on August 6, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Gwen Walz, wife of Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, headlined a Zoom call Thursday evening hosted by a group of Utah women drumming up support for Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign.

On the call, Gwen Walz talked about her time as a teacher. She said that’s how she met her husband, when they both taught in Nebraska (he taught social studies and coached football, while she taught English). She told a story of a football player who was struggling with reading, and she helped tutor him so that he could stay on the football team.

She also talked about how she and her husband struggled with infertility before fertility treatments including in vitro fertilization helped them have their two children, Hope and Gus .

Education and reproductive rights are two issues that can’t be entrusted to another Donald Trump presidency, Gwen Walz said.

“To me, it’s very clear (Trump and running mate J.D. Vance) haven’t been in many classrooms, and in my opinion, they probably shouldn’t be,” she said. As for reproductive health care, “if Trump had his way, I would have never become a mom,” she said. “And if Vance had his way, that would make me a second-class citizen.”

“That’s not the future I want for my children, or your children, or any children,” she said. “And that’s why Vice President Harris and Tim will fight to restore reproductive freedom as the law of the land.”

More than 1,200 people joined Thursday night’s call, according to Utah Women for Kamala organizer Tori Horton, of Holladay. Among the call’s two dozen speakers were high-profile Utah Democrats including Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson, and others, all urging Harris supporters to vote, but especially donate to the national campaign.

Mendenhall was frank about the political realities in Utah — a bright red state that is likely to hand all its electoral votes to Trump in November. Despite that, she said the best thing Utah women supporting a Harris presidency can do is put their money where their mouth is.

“I don’t think it’s going to be any surprise to any of you when I say that Utah’s electoral votes are probably not going to Kamala Harris this year,” she said. “But that doesn’t mean we as Utah women are off of the hook.”

In order to “do everything that we can” to elect Harris and Tim Walz, Mendenhall said “what that means for us is making a donation.”

Speakers’ backgrounds ranged from stay-at-home moms to successful business executives, and several speakers represented minority communities, including African American, South Asian, Native American and Vietnamese women. They all shared their “why,” or their reasons for supporting Harris’ bid for president.

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Many of those reasons centered on issues including reproductive rights, environmental policy, protecting and supporting disadvantaged communities, and more, but also because they see Harris as a capable and inspiring leader — and they simply don’t want to see former President Donald Trump back in the White House.

As a Black woman who works in financial literacy, Michelda Castro’s voice strained with emotion when she talked about her reasons for supporting Harris.

“It’s hard for me not to get emotional on this call,” Castro said, “knowing what it would be like to have a Black woman in the presidency.”

Castro said Harris’ track record and resume “speaks volumes” against her opponents.

“She brings a strong, inclusive vision for America, a future that focuses on unity, progression, and being able to have every American be able to have access to the American dream in an equitable way,” Castro said. “Her lived experience and her professional achievements are unmatched. She deserves that White House. Because we know if her demographics were different, what the truth really would be.”

Other speakers included retired state Sen. Patrice Arent, D-Millcreek, and current Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, D-Holladay. Blake Spalding , renowned owner of Hell’s Backbone Grill located in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, said she’s supporting Harris for her leadership skills and environmental policies.

“This planet is really in extreme need of extraordinary governance,” Spalding said, adding she was a huge fan of Biden for restoring Utah’s national monuments.

Latter-day Saints, Democrats and Republicans, join forces to support Harris

She said it wasn’t easy to see Biden step aside after his disastrous debate, but her “heart has longed” for a woman to be president.

“I want it to be Kamala,” Spalding said.

The hour and a half call concluded shortly after organizers announced they had exceeded their goal of $47,000 (for the future 47th president of the U.S.), having raised $50,000 from more than 260 donors.

Organizers said the funds will go toward Harris’ national campaign to hire staff, open field offices, polling, advertising and more to garner Harris support in battleground states.

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