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I am appalled by the Democrats’ inaction on Gaza. I still voted for Harris
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I am appalled by the Democrats’ inaction on Gaza. I still voted for Harris


If you care about other people and our country, the only real choice in this election is Kamala Harris.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Kamala Harris was an early bird.

On Saturday, the vice president took the stage just before 5 p.m. to make a final appeal to North Carolina voters ahead of Election Day. All around me were a number of signs being handed out to supporters. Some were specific – “Latinos for Harris” and “Republicans for Harris” were two that caught my attention; others simply read “USA” and “freedom.”

“I lived the promise of America and today I see the promise of America in everyone hereHarris told the crowd at the PNC Music Pavillion.

For me Harris represents a new path forward. Policy positions are assertive; His political values ​​are compatible with mine. I’m not the only one who feels this way; millions of voters want this Turn the page on former President Donald Trump. Seeing Harris speak confirmed my decision to vote for her.

Kamala Harris sees me. Donald Trump wants women to disappear.

I now live in a safe blue state where I could completely opt out, but I still chose to vote for Harris.

The messaging from Trump, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, and the Republican Party is that their vision of America requires me to conform to their version of what I should be like. I thought over and over about Vance calling women like me “childless cat ladies.” I get goosebumps when Trump comes convicted rapist“He says he wants.”protect women.”

The truth is that only one side in this race sees me as a complete human being.

My politics are deeply influenced by my identity as a woman, gay, grandchild of immigrants, and Generation Z. I cannot separate these from my political voice and I vote accordingly.

Trump spent the last leg of this election directly attacking trans people, acting as if trans people were the biggest threat to this country. They are not. Even if Trump is elected, trans people will continue to exist.

Harris is the only option to guarantee the rights my peers deserve.

Harris will protect what I value and fight for our rights

The biggest reason I support Harris is because I believe in abortion rights. Roe v. in 2022 I was devastated when the Wade case was overturned. I believe in the fundamental right to decide about my own body. I believe in your right to choose what to do if you get pregnant.

I am privileged; I live in a blue state where abortion rights are still protected.

One in three women of childbearing age, including my home state of North Carolina, living under abortion ban Dobbs v. It was implemented after the decision of the Jackson Women’s Health Organization.

This isn’t the only place where Harris has exceeded expectations.

Has a proven track record preventing gun violence, combating climate change And LGBTQ+ rights. Supports legalization recreational marijuana.

These are all reasons why he wins my vote.

Harris’ economic policies are better than Trump’s

Social issues aren’t the only reason I’m voting for Harris. I also believe in his economic policy.

Harris believes in creating an economy where everyone can thrive. He wants to increase the housing supply and help first-time homebuyers with their down payments. He wants to end corporate price gouging, lower the cost of prescription drugs and invest in small businesses. I support all of this because I believe in a just America.

Harris has been part of President Joe Biden’s administration for the past four years as the administration has had to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. The economy is doing quite well thanks to Biden:

We must continue to strengthen the economy with democratic policies.

On the other hand, Trump wants to impose tariffs it can It costs middle-class Americans more than $2,600 a year. If you care about good economic policy that will help reshape our country in the post-Covid era, Harris is the only option.

Only one candidate actually cares about democracy

A former prosecutor and one of the most qualified presidential candidates in my lifetime, Harris cares about preserving democracy in the United States.

Trump only thinks about himself.

The former president has shown us time and time again that he cannot be trusted to hold the highest office in the land. He led a deadly attack on the US Capitol. He was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records and has other cases pending against him. He became increasingly unstable, doing things like imitating oral sex on the mic stand And dancing to music for a very long time at rallies.

Despite all this, if you believe that Trump is a defender of democracy, you are lying to yourself.

Kamala Harris isn’t perfect, but she’s the best candidate

I have problems with Harris. Honestly, I wish he was as “dangerously liberal” as the right makes him out to be.

Like many other progressives, I am appalled by the ongoing conflict in Gaza. killed at least 43,000 Palestinians and injured more than 101,000. I am disappointed in the Democrats’ response to the war and wish they would put more pressure on Israel to accept a ceasefire.

This tension was also present at the Charlotte rally. Demonstrators unfurled pro-Palestinian banners and they were immediately escorted out of the amphitheater.

“We all want the war in the Middle East to end” Harris replied.

He’s right, and I hope he takes action as president to put an end to this.

However, when it comes to this point, he is the candidate whose values ​​I see most align with. And he knows what’s at stake in this election. Even its unsatisfactory response to conflicts in the Middle East is better than Trump’s response if he were to return to power.

This was the theme of the rally.

“Even if you don’t agree with her on everything, Kamala Harris will fight for you until the end,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper told the crowd at one point.

As I left the rally, I thought about what I wanted America to look like. I want it to be a place where the people I love feel safe and can move forward, where facts and truth will rule the day. This is the version of America Harris is fighting for. That’s why I voted for him.

Follow USA TODAY election columnist Sara Pequeño, formerly known as X on Twitter, @sara__pequeno