Vice President Kamala Harris is set to make a significant visit to a Planned Parenthood clinic in Minnesota on Thursday, according to a White House official speaking to CNN. This visit underscores the administration’s commitment to reproductive rights and aims to energize moderate voters ahead of the November elections.
Harris’s visit to Minnesota marks the sixth stop on her “Fight for Reproductive Freedoms” tour, during which she will tour the Planned Parenthood facility and engage with staff on issues surrounding reproductive rights, as confirmed by another White House official.
The tour commenced in January with events held in Wisconsin, followed by visits to California, Georgia, Michigan, and Arizona. Notably, Minnesota becomes the fifth state visited by Harris since President Biden’s State of the Union address last week, which notably did not include the word “abortion” despite its presence in prepared remarks.
In 2023, Minnesota’s Democratic Governor Tim Walz signed legislation affirming the “fundamental right” to access abortion in the state, adding significance to Harris’s visit.
This visit coincides with the Biden campaign’s “March Month of Action,” during which both President Biden and Vice President Harris are slated to travel to key battleground states. The campaign is strategically highlighting abortion as a central issue in its messaging, particularly targeting moderate voters, particularly women.
Recent surveys, including one by KFF, indicate that approximately half of registered voters in the United States view this year’s elections as having a significant impact on abortion access. Furthermore, around one in eight voters consider abortion the most pivotal issue influencing their vote.