JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Harris-Walz campaign kicked off its "Fighting for Reproductive Freedom" bus tour in Florida this week.
The bus made its second stop in Jacksonville Wednesday at IBEW Local 177 on Liberty Street.
Representatives of the Harris-Walz campaign were there to drum up support for Amendment 4 and energize voters.
Several big names in the Democratic Party spoke to the crowd of supporters, including Jaime Harrison, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, and Nikki Fried, the party chair in Florida.
“Kamala Harris knows if you want to win the state of Florida, you have to win Duval," Fried said.
They focused on Amendment 4, which would codify abortion rights in Florida's constitution if passed. Sen. Tracie Davis, who represents parts of Jacksonville, said this is an issue both men and women should care about.
"This is about the future, this is about future generations. And dealing with an almost abortion ban, this is scary for a lot of folks," Davis said.
Democratic leaders believe Amendment 4 and reproductive rights will help them attract more supporters of the Harris-Walz campaign. They also believe Duval County could be the key to flipping the state blue. President Biden narrowly won the county back in 2020.
Davis made a call to action and encouraged voters to get involved in this race. The Harris-Walz campaign held a phone bank demonstration following the event.
"If we make a thousand phone calls, we knock on a thousand doors, we can take this win," Davis said.
Groups against abortion are fighting back against this bus tour and the Harris-Walz campaign. Kristen Marais with Students for Life in Florida called the tour "extreme."
"Killing somebody based on choice or preference, or ‘oh I’m not ready for a baby right now,' that's not freedom. That’s more oppressive in my opinion," Marais said.
Former President Donald Trump's campaign released a statement following the Harris-Walz stop in Jacksonville.
Karoline Leavitt, the Trump Campaign national press secretary, called Florida "Trump country." She added, "Republican policies are what turned Florida red, and why it will continue to be a place Americans flock to for freedom."
The Duval County GOP also released a statement calling Amendment 4 "too extreme for Florida."
A spokesperson added, "the Harris-Walz campaign quickly passed through Jacksonville, not to talk about the high prices caused by Kamala's support of Bidenomics and the wide open southern border, but to garner support for Amendment 4."