Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks at a rally in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
With the clock ticking down to Election Day, Michigan Democrats readied themselves for one last push as they awaited Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Hart plaza along Detroit’s riverfront Monday night.
Michigan officials, including U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Twp.), U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly), Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan reflected on the condition of Detroit, Michigan and the country under former President Donald Trump versus President Joe Biden, and offered their vision of the future under Harris’s leadership.
“We all know that our country has been going through something, right? We all know that this is not how we want our politics to be. To the young people in the crowd, I am sorry that you have watched your country. You have learned politics over the last eight years thinking about it just being divisive and angry and vitriolic. In Michigan, that’s not how it ever was,” Slotkin said, joking that even though her father was a lifelong Republican and her mother a lifelong Democrat, they were more likely to argue over the rivalry between the University of Michigan and Michigan State University than politics.
Slotkin is facing former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-White Lake) in a race for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat.
“We have an opportunity to change the course of our country. We have an opportunity to come out of this period of political instability and show the world that we are better than our current politics represents,” Slotkin said.
The rally also featured performances from the Detroit Youth Choir and Jon Bon Jovi, joined by country music duo The War and Treaty and R.E.M lead vocalist Michael Stipe.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told the crowd, “If you hear nothing else tonight, hear this: Big Gretch is calling on you to get out and vote.”
Jon Bon Jovi performs at a rally with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
In her introduction of Minnesota first lady Gwen Walz, Whitmer said that Michigan “deserves leaders who know us and see us,” and pointed to Harris as that leader.
Walz took the stage around 10:35 p.m., telling attendees they had just one thing left to do in the presidential race: vote.
“Now, you know, I’m a teacher, and this election is the ultimate group project. And guess what? It’s due tomorrow, and it’s pass-fail. So we are counting on you to make a plan to vote, because we are all in this together, right?” she said shortly before welcoming her husband to the stage.
After thanking his wife and children for their support, Tim Walz stressed the stakes of the presidential election, focusing his pitch on the men in attendance.
“I want you to think about the women in your life that you love. Their lives are at stake in this election. Donald Trump appointed those Supreme Court justices who repealed Roe vs. Wade. And he brags about it. He is glad that those women you’re thinking about, that you love, have fewer rights than their mothers and their grandmothers,” he said.
“More than 20 states across this country now have Trump abortion bans. But don’t worry about it, don’t worry about it. Trump said to all the women here, he’ll be your protector. And then he added, ‘I’m going to do it, whether the women like it or not,’” Tim Walz said, before pointing instances of women being denied emergency care while miscarrying, survivors of rape being force to carry pregnancies to term and couples being denied access to fertility treatments.
Jon Bon Jovi performs at a rally with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Jon Bon Jovi performs at a rally with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Jon Bon Jovi performs at a rally with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks at a rally in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks at a rally in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks at a rally in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Minnesota first lady Gwen Walz speaks at a rally with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Minnesota first lady Gwen Walz speaks at a rally with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks at a rally with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks at a rally with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks at a rally with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Michael Stipe, left, Jon Bon Jovi, center, and The War and Treaty, right, perform at a rally with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Michael Stipe, left, Jon Bon Jovi, center, and The War and Treaty, right, perform at a rally with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Jon Bon Jovi, right, and Michael Stipe, left, perform at a rally with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Jon Bon Jovi performs at a rally with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Jon Bon Jovi performs at a rally with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
The War and Treaty performs at a rally with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Jon Bon Jovi performs at a rally with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Jon Bon Jovi performs at a rally with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Jon Bon Jovi, right, and Michael Stipe, left, perform at a rally with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Jon Bon Jovi, right, and Michael Stipe, left, perform at a rally with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Jon Bon Jovi performs at a rally with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Jon Bon Jovi performs at a rally with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
The Detroit Youth Choir performs at a rally with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
The Detroit Youth Choir performs at a rally with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 4, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)
Audience members cheer for Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan at a rally for Vice President Kamala Harris on Detroit’s riverfront on Nov. 4, 2024. | Kyle Davidson
The Detroit Youth Choir performs at a rally for Vice President Kamala Harris at Hart Plaza on the Detroit riverfront on Nov. 4, 2024. | Kyle Davidson
The Detroit Youth Choir performs at a rally for Vice President Kamala Harris at Hart Plaza on the Detroit riverfront on Nov. 4, 2024. | Kyle Davidson
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Twp.) rallies for Vice President Kamala Harris in Hart Plaza along Detroit’s riverfront on Nov. 4, 2024. | Kyle Davidson
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Twp.) rallies for Vice President Kamala Harris in Hart Plaza along Detroit’s riverfront on Nov. 4, 2024. | Kyle Davidson
U.S. Senate Candidate and U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly) speaks at a rally for Vice President Kamala Harris along Detroit’s riverfront on Nov. 4, 2024. | Kyle Davidson
U.S. Senate Candidate and U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly) speaks at a rally for Vice President Kamala Harris along Detroit’s riverfront on Nov. 4, 2024. | Kyle Davidson
Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II takes the stage at a rally for Vice President Kamala Harris in Hart Plaza along Detroit’s riverfront on Nov. 4, 2024. | Kyle Davidson
Audience members cheer for Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan at a rally for Vice President Kamala Harris on Detroit’s riverfront on Nov. 4, 2024. | Kyle Davidson
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan rallies for Vice President Kamala Harris along Detroit’s riverfront on Nov. 4, 2024. | Kyle Davidson
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks at a rally for Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in Detroit on Nov. 4, 2024. | Kyle Davidson
“This is personal for so many of us, Gwen and I included. We were only able to have that family because of fertility treatments, and I will be damned if anyone in this country should be denied that same right,” he said, noting Harris would sign legislation to restore reproductive freedom if elected president.
“Tomorrow, women all across America at every age, both parties are going to send a loud and clear message to Donald Trump, whether he likes it or not,” Tim Walz said.
In closing, Walz drew on his background as a football coach and delivered one last pep talk to Michigan voters.
“We are in the fourth quarter, two minutes left. The game is tied. But we’ve got the damn ball, and we got, we got the best quarterback on the field in Kamala Harris. We don’t get tired because we know there’s plenty of time to sleep when you’re dead. And we — we believe in the promise of America. We just have to fight for it,” Walz said.
“Here’s the deal, folks, there’s going to be a day you’re going to be sitting in that rocking chair, and you’re going to be rocking on that porch, and a little one’s going to come home from school and ask, ‘What did you do in the 2024 election, where the American experiment survived, where the rule of law survived, where decency survived?’” he said. “And you’re going to be able to answer “Every damn thing I could. Every damn thing I could.’”
