Michelle Obama and Alicia Keys rallied for Kamala Harris in Norristown, with thousands turned away

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Philadelphia Inquirer

Published Nov. 3, 2024, 5:00 a.m. ET


There were so many lines outside Norristown Area High school Saturday evening, it was hard to tell what direction they were going in. Thousands were hoping to see former first lady Michelle Obama and musician Alicia Keys, surrogates for Vice President Kamala Harris, who made the trip to Montgomery County just three days before the presidential election.

Thousands were turned away due to fire safety capacity constraints. Montgomery County — where Gov. Josh Shapiro got his political start — is a Democratic stronghold, and voter turnout in the powerful Philadelphia suburbs can seriously impact who wins the presidential race in Pennsylvania, and therefore, the whole race.

“You know I love you, because I don’t like politics, and I’m out here again,” Obama said to an overflow crowd that filled the school auditorium as much as the fire marshal would allow. “But this race is important, and what happens in this county and in this state absolutely matters. That is why we are here.”

“You are so powerful and so important — you are the most important, actually,” Keys said to the Pennsylvania voters, one visibly starstruck with her mouth agape. The celebrity guests then went to the main stage, in a gymnasium full of nearly 4,000 people.


Read more: https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/michelle-obama-alicia-keys-norristown-montgomery-county-20241103.html

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Heard on the radio this morning that they had to add an "overflow" area after they packed the high school where the event was held. Norristown is the County Seat for PA's Montgomery County.

Montgomery County, which is adjacent to Philly (with the county line a couple blocks from where I live), is the 3rd largest county by population in PA behind Philadelphia (City/County) and Allegheny County (which includes Pittsburgh).

I *know* if they did that for the former FLOTUS Michelle Obama and Alicia Keys, they are GONNA pack the Ben Franklin Parkway on Monday!

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Ground game and starpower are mutually reinforcing

Link to tweet

At that rate, in 3 days they will have tried to reach 90% of voters in the county. In the closing weekend!

[FakeNoose]

2. I love that Black women are showing support, and Black men too

More and more it's feeling like Obama's first run in 2008.

[twodogsbarking]

3. Thank you kind ladies. Powerful, intelligent women but humble.

[RobinA]

4. Montgomery County, PA

is not a “Democratic stronghold.” It’s purple on a really good day.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Oh it IS a "Democratic stronghold" now

Back in the '90s is when it finally "broke" with the election of Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky for the-then 13th Congressional District seat and ever since, it has gotten bluer and bluer and bluer until finally in 2011, Democrats took majority control of the County Commissioners Office with 2(D)s and 1(R), where that (D) pair was our current governor Josh Shapiro and current head of the PA Department of Human Services, Dr. Val Arkoosh!

The "purple on a really good day" County is Bucks.