Harris stumps for Democrats in Massachusetts

Democrats seeking statewide office this year are running cautious campaigns, but they aren't taking chances, either, and have brought a heavy hitter to the campaign trail.

The big picture: Vice President Kamala Harris stumped for Democrats in Roxbury yesterday in an attempt to jolt the sleepy gubernatorial and attorney general races that Democrats are heavily favored to win on Nov. 8.

Driving the news: Harris whirled into Boston to make two speeches.

• The first was to push the White House's plan to lower the cost of home heating this winter, including $4.5 billion for fuel assistance for families.
• The second, at the Reggie Lewis Center in Roxbury, was at a rally for Maura Healey, Kim Driscoll and Andrea Campbell, the three Democrats topping the ticket for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general, respectively.

What they're saying: "Many Democrats aren't that excited about this slate of candidates," UMass Amherst political science professor Tatishe Nteta told Axios.

• Nteta said Harris' appearance on the stump serves to mobilize Democratic voters who just aren't that jazzed about Healey, Driscoll and Campbell and to remind voters about the women-led ticket.
• "These are historic firsts," Nteta said, calling Harris "the embodiment of a historic first" as the first Black and female vice president.

Nteta pointed to the Roxbury rally as another way to excite Black voters about the local candidates.

• Campbell would be the first Black woman elected as attorney general.

The other side: Healey's GOP opponent, Geoff Diehl, said in a statement that Harris' visit indicates "the Democratic ticket is losing," and that it exposes Healey's ties to President Biden.

• "We know that the Healey/Driscoll ticket just wants to rubber-stamp President Biden's failed, woke policies and continue to wage a war on energy that is bankrupting our households," Diehl wrote.