Harris made her final push for votes in Philadelphia hours before polls opened (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Kamala Harris promised tens of thousands of supporters “we will win” at a star-studded final rally on Monday night – but admitted this US election could be one of the closest races in history.
With polls still suggesting the contest between the Democrat and Republican Donald Trump rests on a knife edge, she enlisted the help of celebrities including Lady Gaga, Oprah Winfrey, Ricky Martin and Will.i.am to stage a spectacular final push in the swing state of Pennsylvania.
Against the grand backdrop of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Harris told her devoted audience that “momentum is on our side”. She added: “We are optimistic and we are excited about what we can do together, and we know it is time for a new generation of leadership in America.
“I am ready to offer that leadership as the next president of the United States of America. However, the race ain’t over yet and we must finish strong. This could be one of the closest races in history. Every single vote matters.”
READ MORE: Americans reveal what they really think of Kamala Harris on eve of US election
Thousands of supporters gathered outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The location for the Democrat’s final stand was a symbolic one as she spoke from the museum’s steps made famous by the 1976 hit film Rocky. Used by the eponymous amateur boxer to train, the 72 stone steps have come to symbolise an underdog rising to a great challenge.
Describing this year’s race for the White House as “the most consequential election of our lifetime”, Harris confidently declared: “Make no mistake, we will win. And we will win because when you know what you stand for, you know what to fight for.”
And she sought to set herself apart from Trump as the presidential candidate “who knows that the true measure of a leader is not based on who you beat down, but based on who you lift up”.
Her Republican rival spent much of his 90-minute address one of his final rallies in Salem, Virginia, this weekend berating Harris, branding her “crazy” and claiming she had an “extremely low IQ”.
In contrast, Harris wasted little time on attack lines and barely mentioned Trump. Focusing on her own plans, she highlighted campaign promises including a pledge to ban corporate price gouging on groceries, make childcare more affordable and cut taxes for workers, middle class families and small business.
But in a rare allusion to Trump’s impact on the US political landscape, she remarked: “We have an opportunity in this election to finally turn the page on a decade of politics that has been driven by fear and division. We are done with that, we’re done, we’re exhausted with it.”
The hours before Harris took to the stage were filled by a roster of celebrity backers, including R&B and soul singer Jazmine Sullivan, rapper Fat Joe and hip hop band The Roots.
Oprah Winfrey appeared alongside a group of young first-time voters, including a woman who said she planned to train as a gynaecologist and was voting for Harris “to ensure my future patients’ freedom”.
The chat show host also issued an appeal for any undecided or reluctant voters to exercise their democratic rights. She said: “If you are watching or hearing me right now and you haven’t already, you have got to vote.
“I know that some of you are feeling burnt out and bruised and maybe inconsequential. Nothing could be further from the truth. Every single vote, every one is going to matter. That’s why I’ve come to Philadelphia tonight.”
Winfrey also delivered a stark warning that a Tump victory could pose a serious threat to democracy. She said: “If we don’t show up tomorrow, it is entirely possible that we will not have the opportunity to ever cast a ballot again.”
Headline guest Lady Gaga told the crowd that the nation was depending on swing state voters to make their voices heard.
She added: “Today I am holding in my heart all the tough, tenacious women who made me who I am. I cast my vote for someone who will be a president for all, for all Americans. And now, Pennsylvania, it’s your turn.” The Just Dance singer closed the event at midnight by performing her hit Edge of Glory.
Among members of the public who gathered to support Harris was Irene Martin, 44, who had travelled from New York. The mother-of-two said she hoped to “be a part of history as we will have our first female president very soon”.
She told the Express: “I believe in a lot of what she has to say, especially that she wants to unite our country and get rid of the negative rhetoric and the hatred that has really become widespread.
“I’m also concerned about women’s reproductive rights, women’s rights in general. And specifically I’m worried about the situation in Ukraine.”
Born in Ukraine, Irene said she feared the possibility of a president who would “abandon our allies abroad and focus on their own agenda”.
She added of Trump: “His connections with Putin are very concerning, having JD Vance – his potential vice president – talk about how Ukraine is irrelevant and he doesn’t really care what happens there is very concerning.
“I have family who are also very concerned about the potential Trump administration. We’re hoping for the best.”
Meanwhile, frst-time voter Violet Perloff, 19, had travelled from George Washington University and said reproductive rights and the environment were important issues.
Asked how confident she felt about the election’s outcome, she said: “I go back and forth on a daily basis between panic and ‘we’ve got this’. I think there’s a good chance, I know a lot of people who have flipped and who are now voting Democrat specifically for Harris.
“It gives me a lot of confidence but it’s still stressful because no matter how much the polls say she’s winning, there’s still a little bit of fear. If she doesn’t it could be really scary for a lot of people.”
