Kamala Harris aims to rally Southern voters
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Former Vice President Kamala Harris plans to spend the next few months rallying Southern voters after the Supreme Court "basically undid the Voting Rights Act," she said while speaking to students Friday in New Orleans.
The big picture: Harris characterized the Louisiana v. Callais decision, which narrowed legal protections against racial gerrymandering, as one of several "obstacles" to voting ahead of November's elections.
Zoom in: The comments were part of InspireNOLA's back-to-school rally in the Mahalia Jackson Theater, where hundreds of students gathered.
- "I'm spending my time to remind people that even though they're trying to put obstacles in front of us, even though they're trying to cheat — because they are trying to cheat," Harris said, "that that's not a reason that we just stay in bed and keep the covers over our heads and say, 'well, wake me up when it's over.'"
What she's saying: Harris framed the message for the students as a reminder not to let others define their potential.
- "Never let anyone else's limited ability to see who you are and your capacity be a limitation on your ambition on who you are and what you become," she said.
Inside the room: The rally also featured former U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond and New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno, who drew a similar lesson from recent political headlines.
- "You'll probably know that there's some people out there who are trying to define the city as something that it's not," she said. "But don't let anybody ever define you or our city."
- Also spotted in the room: Democratic nominee for Senate Jamie Davis and U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, who made a point to welcome Harris as "Madame President."
What's next: Harris will be the keynote speaker Friday night at the Louisiana Democratic Party's Sneaker Ball.