By Stacy M. Brown

NNPA Newswire Sr Natl Correspondent

The electricity in Chicago at the Democratic National Convention remains undeniable. Still, the real story is how Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign has sent shockwaves far beyond the United Center, energizing battleground states that will decide the 2024 election. What was once a campaign facing significant challenges has transformed into a dynamic, unstoppable force. Harris now leads in most national and battleground state polls—a stunning development achieved in just over a month.

In an email, Harris-Walz Campaign Chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said the Chicago convention had ignited the most significant organizing push since the campaign’s sudden launch. Dillon said volunteers recently contacted over 1 million voters in just a few short days. She noted that the surge in volunteer engagement “is a clear indicator of the campaign’s growing strength” as it heads into September with a formidable ground game.

In tandem with the volunteer surge, the Harris-Walz campaign has shattered fundraising records, raising an unprecedented $540 million in just over a month—setting a new high-water mark in American political history. During the convention week alone, grassroots contributions crossed the $500 million threshold just before Harris’s acceptance speech. Dillon said the momentum didn’t stop there; immediately following her address, the campaign experienced its best fundraising hour since launch day.

What’s even more remarkable is the diversity of Harris’s donor base. A third of the week’s donations came from first-time contributors, nearly one-fifth of those being young voters. Two-thirds of the young contributors are women, a critical demographic that could prove decisive in November. Additionally, according to Dillon, teachers and nurses continue to be among the most common donor occupations, underscoring the broad and deep support that Harris has cultivated.

Dillon stated that the campaign’s unprecedented fundraising totals reflect the combined efforts of Harris for President, the Democratic National Committee, and joint fundraising committees.

The convention also marked a significant outreach effort to conservative and independent voters, featuring six Republican speakers on stage and several more in videos, including former Trump administration officials—more than any previous Democratic convention. The event became the one history’s most bipartisan national political gathering. Notably, conservative legal scholar Judge J. Michael Luttig, a George H.W. Bush appointee, joined a dozen Republican lawyers who served under Presidents Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush in endorsing Harris. They joined the growing list of Republicans, including Congressman Joe Walsh, Congresswoman Barbara Comstock, and Congressman Adam Kinzinger, who have publicly supported Harris.

Dillon said organizers are now gearing up to engage voters on critical issues such as reproductive freedom, the cost of living, and Social Security and Medicare protection. This week, Harris and Walz will embark on a bus tour through South Georgia, their first joint campaign event in the state. With its diverse mix of rural, suburban, and urban communities, including a significant proportion of Black voters and working-class families, this region epitomizes the Harris-Walz coalition. The tour will culminate in a rally in Savannah, where Harris will directly address Georgians about the upcoming election’s stakes.

The Harris-Walz campaign is also making significant investments in paid outreach. The campaign launched a new TV ad across battleground states, highlighting Harris’s economic vision and her commitment to building an opportunity economy where everyone who works hard can get ahead. The ad is part of August’s $150 million television buy, with $370 million in television and digital reservations.

“Headed into Labor Day, our campaign is using those resources and enthusiasm to build on our momentum, taking no voters for granted and communicating relentlessly with battleground voters every single day between now and Election Day—all the while, Trump is focused on very little beyond online tantrums and attacking the voters critical to winning 270 electoral votes,” Dillon remarked.