Minnesota Governor and Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz held a rally at Palo Verde High School to mobilize voters on the first day of early voting in Arizona on Wednesday, Oct. 9. 

The rally drew a crowd of about 500 in the school gymnasium, with an estimated 300 gathered in an overflow area, where guests watched via livestream. The event featured a range of speakers. 

At the time of the rally, former President Donald Trump held a narrow lead in Arizona polls. Meanwhile, Trump’s running mate and Walz’s vice presidential opponent JD Vance held a rally at Tucson Speedway hours before Walz spoke.

Pima County Recorder Gabriella Cázares-Kelly was the first of many local officials to praise Walz, sharing her experience working with him at a Native American Caucus meeting during the Democratic National Convention.

“I was so touched because, at the end, he simply raised his hand and said, ‘Miigwech,’ which means thank you in the Anishinaabe language,” she said. “With that one word, he signaled the importance of language revitalization, preservation and respect for culture.”

She continued, “I’m a progressive Democrat. I’m left-leaning, which means I want our party to do more for communities like mine […] Many people are struggling—especially progressives and leftists who are wondering what to do because it doesn’t seem like there’s a perfect option. But the Harris-Walz campaign means the door is open for these conversations.”

Democratic candidate for Arizona’s 6th Congressional District, Kirsten Engel, also delivered remarks about electing herself and other Democratic candidates. 

“When we get through this election, Arizona will be sending one less MAGA extremist to D.C. and one more vote for freedom,” Engel said. “Votes from this district may be key to keeping the Presidency, keeping the Senate and flipping the House […] It may just come down to all of us here in Southern Arizona.”

Actor and singer Jaime Camil, best known for his role as Rogelio de la Vega on the TV series “Jane the Virgin,” addressed the audience about the Harris-Walz ticket and their opponent’s rhetoric toward immigrants.

“There is so much on the line for the Latino communities across the country […] Trump shows utter disdain for immigrant communities, saying they are poisoning the blood of our country — blaming us for eating cats and dogs,” Camil said with a brief chuckle.

Camil continued, “Kamala Harris recognizes that our diversity is our strength and that the promise of America is big enough for everyone to succeed.”

Mayor Regina Romero delivered remarks about the dangers of Project 2025, a conservative policy blueprint aimed at reshaping the federal government by scaling back regulatory agencies.

“Project 2025 will give Trump near-unchecked power over women nationwide, banning abortion across all 50 states, restricting contraception and IVF and allowing states to monitor women’s miscarriages and abortions,” Romero said. “Trump has threatened to terminate the Constitution, imprison his political enemies and rule as a dictator from day one. These are not idle threats.”

After about four hours of waiting, at 6:00 p.m., Tim Walz arrived and spoke on themes that echoed previous speakers, addressing key policy issues and his exchanges with JD Vance in the vice presidential debate. 

In reference to debate exchanges, Walz discussed JD Vance’s stance on Trump’s immigration policies and Trump’s rhetoric about immigrants.  

“JD Vance got asked about family separation and all that Donald Trump was able to do to rip thousands of families apart, and he wouldn’t say he wouldn’t do it again. You heard it.”

Walz then brought up false claims from former President Trump that Haitian immigrants in Ohio were eating cats and dogs, which were made during the presidential debate. 

“Look, if this guy were an entertainer on TV it might be funny, but it’s not funny when it comes from somebody that wants to be the President of the United States because it’s dangerous,” Walz said. “Those words forced the Republican Governor of Ohio to call in state law enforcement to escort kindergarteners to their school. That is not who we are. That is not leadership.”

Walz said the healthcare policy plan put forth by Trump and Vance, reflected on Trump’s previous comments regarding his intentions while in office.

“Nine years ago, he said it would be easy to fix healthcare and that he’d do it on the first day; now we hear he’s got a concept of a plan. JD Vance tried to explain that plan, and they should go back to the concept because the plan is worse.”

Walz, a former high school teacher, also discussed school safety and gun violence, describing it as an issue he “wore his heart on his sleeve” for. 

“Knowing the joy that’s here and knowing the parents who dress their little ones in their best clothes and they send them off to school […] teachers are waiting at the door to shake their little hands and welcome them into the world of learning that’s out there and all the excitement,” Walz said, gesturing to the high school gymnasium where he spoke.

“Our kids need to be free to be kids and go to school without being shot at,” Walz said.

Walz then questioned Vance’s denial of his involvement in Project 2025.

“Senator Vance said he had never heard of [Project 2025], and I asked and said, ‘Well, that’s weird—you wrote the foreword to the architect who brought you the 2025 book […] The football coach in me knows, you make a playbook, you’re gonna run the plays and that’s what they’re gonna do.”

On the economy, Walz stressed the importance of equal opportunity and Harris’s proposed tax cuts for the middle class.

“Rights are not like a pie. If somebody gets rights, that doesn’t mean you get a smaller piece. That’s why the economy needs to work for everyone, that’s why [Kamala] is proposing tax cuts for the middle class.”

He added that Harris’s plans include significant tax relief for small businesses.

“If you want to start a small business, and I know there’s entrepreneurs in here, there’s a tax credit for that; it’s $5,000. That’s not enough. It costs $40,000 to get the average small business off the ground, and Kamala Harris is proposing a $50,000 tax credit to get small businesses off the ground.”

Walz closed with what he thought of the Trump campaign’s vision of freedom. “When they say freedom, they mean that they should be free to invade your exam room, to invade your school library, to invade your bedroom, and have the government be just small enough to be in every damn part of your life that they shouldn’t be.”

With just 26 days until the election and early voting in Arizona concluding on Oct. 30, voters are encouraged to check the specific dates and make a plan to cast a ballot.

For information on voting in Arizona, visit https://www.arizona.vote/.  

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