Mayor stumps for Kamala Harris at downtown rally

Photos by Mike Smyth

There was a full house on Thursday at the downtown Reno Events Center as more than 6,000 people gathered for Reno’s only Kamala Harris appearance in the 2024 presidential race. The vice president, who would be the first woman of color to become president if she succeeds in her run against former President Donald Trump, spoke on topics relevant to many in Reno: housing, rent prices and taxes.

She mostly spoke with optimism, with loud cheers from the passionate crowd. She also portrayed her opponent, Trump, as an unhinged extremist. “Unlike Donald Trump, I don’t believe that the people who disagree with me are the enemy,” she said. “He wants to put them in jail. I’ll give them a seat at the table.”

Much of her speech lacked specifics, but she mentioned the housing crisis and its effects on Nevadans. Harris said she wants construction of three million new housing units to end the housing supply shortage. She said she would lower rent by taking on corporate landlords and said her plan would provide a historic $25,000 down payment for first-time homeowners.

“He wants to put them in jail. I’ll give them a seat at the table.”

“We have an opportunity in this election to turn the page on a decade of Donald Trump trying to keep us divided and afraid of each other,” Harris added. “We’re done with that. We’re exhausted.”

Mayor Hillary Schieve was one of several who spoke in advance of Harris’ speech. Referring to Halloween, she called the prospect of another Trump term “scary.” She also touted her nonpartisan status and said the difference between the Trump presidency, versus Obama and Biden, is that Trump was never welcoming to U.S. mayors, whereas with Harris, she said she has a “direct line” to the White House.

Schieve also welcomed Republicans in attendance who were there supporting Harris. “We’ve got to make the right choice to protect our future,” she said. “Get out there and vote.”

Union member, Reno resident and Republican, Michael Gordon, spoke after Schieve. He said he voted for Trump in 2016, which drew gasps from crowd members. He now calls Trump an extremist. “I want my children to be able to acquire good-paying jobs in a stable economy,” he said. “I am ready to turn the page on Donald Trump, as Vice President Harris says.”

U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) said a Trump presidency would “destroy our economy and take away our freedoms.”

A few hecklers were escorted out by security. Some appeared to shout in support of Trump; others shouted about U.S. support of Israel while tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war.

Local activist Lily Baran was among them. She, her son and a friend were escorted out by security.