World / Us Election 2024

US election: At Kamala Harris' rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania

08:27 am on 5 November 2024

Women's rights and abortion were the main issues given by supporters of Kamala Harris spoken to outside the Pennsylvania college hall where she's due to speak on Tuesday morning.

Harris is making a whistle stop tour of the crucial swing state on Tuesday as she looks to build on late momentum with older women voters ahead of polling day Wednesday.

Harris is making stops in Allentown, Scranton and Reading during the day, before attending a massive outdoor rally in Philadelphia that will include guest appearances from the likes of Lady Gaga and Oprah Winfrey.

It comes as a late poll in the normally red state of Iowa showed Harris leading in the race there and out performing Donald Trump with women voters, particularly older white women.

Muhlenberg College in Allentown. Photo: Nick Monro/RNZ

Corin Dann attends Kamala Harris rally in Allentown, PA

Voters spoken to by RNZ at Muhlenberg College in Allentown where Harris was due to speak Tuesday morning, agreed that it was going to be women voters that would be the difference.

The mostly older women spoken to by RNZ who were waiting to enter the venue, said they were very concerned about issues like abortion rights and Trump's rhetoric around women.

"I'm tired of being a marginalised woman in this country with Mr Trump running our system and it's time to have him removed totally from the political system.

"But I'm here for women's rights, for family's rights, and for freedom for all but also then to reinstate women's rights for freedom," one woman told RNZ.

Photo: Nick Monro/RNZ

Another said abortion was the main concern for her.

"I was lucky enough, as an older woman, now that I'm older, to be able to make those decisions myself and I feel so, it's heart-breaking to know that young woman now could lose that, and they already are losing that, but it could be worse."

A 70-year-old grandmother said abortion was also a concern for her.

"I don't want my granddaughters and grandsons to have less rights than I."

But she was also concerned about her daughter and her wife.

"I'm worried that as Roe v Wade was overturned, that the Right to Marriage Act will be overturned."

Photo: Nick Monro/RNZ

One supporter believed a number of men were also supporting Harris because of women's rights.

"I think there are a lot of men that are finally standing up for us as well, and I think we need to give them credit too because we can't do it without them."

They said women have had enough of Trump and its time for the United States to have its first ever female president.

Supporters outside Kamala Harris' rally at Muhlenberg College, Allentown. Photo: Nick Monro/RNZ

The rally in Allentown was in the sports hall at Muhlenberg College and there is a limited capacity of only a few thousand. It was expected to be full to the brim with no spare seats.

Meanwhile Trump was also continuing to campaign in the so called Blue Wall states. He will be in North Carolina Tuesday as well as also coming back to Pennsylvania for an appearance in Reading.

It's no surprise to see both candidates in Pennsylvania Tuesday given how close it is in the polls. Whomever wins the state and its 19 Electoral College votes was likely to win the White House.

Photo: Nick Monro/RNZ

Voters spoken to by RNZ at the Muhlenberg rally said it was exhausting and intense to be the centre of attention in this election as they are constantly bombarded by adverts, and texts asking for contributions.

"It's been exhausting with the ads, you can't avoid the ads, the emails, the texts.

"But it's also exhilirating that we have someone who's so incredibly qualified, brillant, with lots of governmental experience but most of all she's for every person in the United States."

And one supporter believed unifying American voters was too much too hope for. But returning to being civil would be enough.

"The most we can get, hopefully what we should have, is unity about being good Americans. Having completely different view points is very American, so that's ok, but do we have to be so ugly about everything?"

RNZ reporter Corin Dann is following the Harris campaign across Pennsylvania Tuesday. Dann is in the United States with some support from the US Embassy in Wellington.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.