By Lizzie Ramirez
First lady Jill Biden is making the rounds of key battleground states in support of Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, in November’s general election. Her second stop was in northern Nevada on Sunday, Oct. 13.
Biden landed at approximately 11:20 a.m. before heading to her first stop in Carson City. There were about 120 attendees at the Carson Piazza Bar. A sign reading “Native Americans for Harris Walz” was seen on the wall where Biden would be speaking.
The first lady entered the intimate space to claps and cheers from the crowd. She made a few brief remarks, reiterating how every vote counts and how, in the 2020 election, President Joe Biden won Nevada by about 33,000 votes.
Once the remarks were finished, everyone began to line up for a quick photo op and to have the chance to speak with Biden. The attendees were diverse—some older, some younger, some Native American, others white—but all were excited to meet the first lady.
“You work hard, you should be able to afford a home for your family.”
Two older women were seen smiling in the middle of the room as they returned to their table after meeting Biden. They were recapping how this visit is a “momentous thing” for Carson City.
“I basically thanked her for coming to Carson City, which is really not on the radar for most national politicians,” Democrat Karen Lantz said.
“It’s an amazing opportunity to meet someone in person who’s done an amazing job helping to run our country,” Democrat Barbara Danneo expressed.
Danneo said she had already cast her mail-in ballot for Harris-Walz, while Lantz said she enjoys voting on Election Day.
The Carson City event lasted about 20 minutes before Biden hopped back into the motorcade and made her way to her second stop at the National Automobile Museum in Reno.
The museum was buzzing with Harris-Walz supporters, some wearing the campaign’s signature camo hats and others holding signs. The auditorium was filled to the brim, with an overflow of people standing off to the sides.
Biden was met with another round of applause. One man formed a heart with his hands and held it in the air while another person yelled, “We love you, Jill!” once the room quieted.
Cathi Williams-Tuni, chairwoman of the Paiute-Shoshone Tribe of the Fallon Reservation, opened the event to help greet Biden. She shared that on Tuesday, Oct. 8, the tribe officially endorsed the Harris-Walz campaign.
“Harris has helped deliver historic amounts of federal funding to tribal nations through various legislation, which has been very helpful,” Williams-Tuni said. “Governor Walz has been a proud champion of tribal-state relations, making Minnesota an example for other states to follow.”
Williams-Tuni pointed out how Harris and Walz recognize tribal sovereignty, “seeing us as valuable Indigenous citizens with voices in this presidential election.”
She then criticized former President Donald Trump for calling Native Americans “names” and using “harmful rhetoric” to degrade Native communities across the nation.
Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, implied in a speech that Native American tribes were the “enemy” and that Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a “fake” holiday. He criticized President Biden by tweeting, “Of course Joe Biden is the first president to pay it any attention.”
A second reason for the tribe’s endorsement, Williams-Tuni said, is that Native communities are “deeply concerned” about Project 2025, a conservative political agenda described as a roadmap for Trump’s second term. Williams-Tuni said the plan threatens to take away federal funding for programs vital to tribal members.
“Many of my community members rely on federally funded programs like Social Security,” Williams-Tuni said. “Donald Trump’s Project 2025 would take us backward. It would slash our budget for healthcare, education, and housing. It would threaten our right to steward our own sacred lands, which we know how to protect as Native people.”
Williams-Tuni soon introduced the first lady, who went on to share a personal story about Vice President Kamala Harris.
According to Biden, while Harris was in high school, she noticed her friend never wanted to go home after school. Harris supported her friend, asking what was wrong. Her friend, Wanda, confided in Harris and told her she was being molested by her stepfather.
“Kamala didn’t just listen; she did something about it,” Biden said. “Instinctively, she said, ‘Wanda, you have to come and stay with us,’ and Wanda did.”
Biden said Harris built a career serving the public and protecting women like Wanda. “Kamala is a tough, compassionate, decisive leader. That’s the kind of president you deserve.”
Switching gears, Biden quickly touched on issues affecting everyday families, such as the price of groceries.
Prices spiked during the pandemic, Biden said, and were never brought back down, with corporations making “record-high” profits while families pay more. She alleged that Trump wants to give those same corporations a tax cut, benefiting them so they can make more money.
Biden also highlighted Harris’ plan to give first-time homebuyers a $25,000 credit.
“You work hard, you should be able to afford a home for your family,” Biden said.
Next was abortion, which Biden said is what’s at stake for women in this election. If Harris is elected president, Biden said, she will proudly sign a national law to restore reproductive freedom for all women.
“Three ways that Kamala Harris is going to work for you and your family,” Biden emphasized. “Lowering grocery costs, making housing more affordable, and protecting our freedoms. These aren’t radical ideas—they’re just practical ways to make life easier and more fair.”
