Harris and Walz make small-town stops in Western Pa. before DNC

Before hitting the prime time stage at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, visited Sheetz and Primanti Bros. on Sunday while making campaign stops in the western part of the state.

ROCHESTER — Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and running mate Tim Walz gave pep talks to campaign volunteers and a high school football team Sunday, with their bus tour in a corner of Pennsylvania serving as a modest, small-town version of the grand rally she’s expected to have at the Democratic nominating convention in Chicago this week.

Vice President Harris and Walz, the governor of Minnesota, were joined by their spouses, Doug Emhoff and Gwen Walz, as they stopped off to visit volunteers at a campaign office not far from Pittsburgh before continuing on to a firehouse and a high school in another town. The tour, in a bright blue bus decorated with the candidates’ names and the phrase “A new way forward,” also included pilgrimages to a convenience store and a restaurant known for its towering sandwiches.

Despite running as the sitting vice president, Harris told reporters she feels she has ground to make up in the race against former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee.

“I very much consider us the underdogs,” Harris said at a stop in the township of Moon. “We have a lot of work to do to earn the vote of the American people. That’s why we’re on this bus tour today, and we’re going to be traveling this country as we’ve been and talking with folks, listening to folks, and hopefully earning their votes over the next 79 days.”

Harris, while speaking to a group of supporters and volunteers outside a campaign office in the borough of Rochester, spoke about strength and leadership. She appeared to make a veiled reference to Trump, who is known for his pugilistic style and projection of a strongman image, when she said the “real and true measure of a leader’s strength is based on who you lift up,” rather than who they beat down.

“Anybody who is about beating down other people is a coward,” she yelled, drawing cheers and applause. “This is what strength looks like.”

Walz seemed to assume the role of his former job coaching high school football and told the volunteers: “Let’s leave it all on the field. Let’s get this thing done.”

The vice president next stopped at a firehouse in Aliquippa, where she met firefighters, petted the station’s dog and gave the crew almond pastries, before heading to a nearby high school, she and Walz met with the local football coach and addressed the team, who kneeled on the field to listen.

Walz again slipped into coach mode, reminiscing a bit about his days leading a team before introducing Harris. She praised the young athletes for their leadership: “Our nation is counting on you and your excellence. We applaud your ambition.”

She also told them, “Welcome to the role model club.”

At a stop in the township of Moon, Harris popped into a Sheetz convenience store to seek out Doritos, her go-to snack. She later stopped at a Primanti Bros. restaurant, the Pittsburgh-based chain known for sandwiches layered with coleslaw and fries, where she met diners and posed for a few pictures. 

Earlier in the day in Rochester, Harris, Walz and their spouses spent a few minutes sitting at tables with volunteers and making phone calls to line up support.

Harris took a cellphone from a volunteer and spoke to the person on the other end.

“I love Erie. At some point we’ll get to Erie,” Harris said.

She continued the conversation and at one point said, “79 days to go.”