Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) held her campaign kick-off rally in her hometown of Oakland, Calif. on Sunday, days after announcing her bid to become the nation’s 46th President. The 54-year-old candidate’s first political rally drew over 20,000 enthusiastic supporters.
Accompanying Harris at her presidential campaign launch rally was her husband, Douglas Emhoff and her niece, Amara Ajagu, 2.
According to reports Harris is generating more buzz than former President Barack Obama did more than 10 years ago.
The crowd attending Harris’ rally was bigger than Obama’s campaign kick-off rally.
Harris’ campaign received RSVPs from voters in all 50 states, Politico.com‘s Christopher Cadelago tweeted.
.@KamalaHarris‘ campaign received RSVPs from all 50 states for today’s rally in Oakland — including many, apparently, who are on this flight out of town.
— Christopher Cadelago (@ccadelago) January 28, 2019
Harris’ press secretary tweeted out the crowd figure. “NEWS: More than 20,000 in crowd at @KamalaHarris launch speech. Thousands more still in lines for overflow,” Ian Sams tweeted Sunday. The crowd estimate was not confirmed by Oakland officials.
NEWS: More than 20,000 in crowd at @KamalaHarris launch speech. Thousands more still in lines for overflow.
— Ian Sams (@IanSams) January 27, 2019
When Obama held his kick off rally in Springfield, Ill, the crowd estimate was somewhere between 15,000 and 17,000 people.
Obama drew even less people when he held a rally in Oakland a month later. Only 12,000 people showed up, according to the East Bay Times.
Obama went on to beat Sen. Hillary Clinton before trouncing Sen. John McCain in the 2008 general election.
Harris, who is mixed race like Obama, has dubbed herself the “female Barack Obama.”
The City Hall rooftop view for the @KamalaHarris for President campaign kickoff rally in Oakland, CA, (1/27/19). pic.twitter.com/uNJdJ6hGkK
— Michael J. Hunt (@MJH510) January 27, 2019
Photo by Mason Trinca/Getty Images
