With an appearance in South Carolina Monday, President Joe Biden delivered his second campaign speech in a matter of four days, a sign that the 2024 election is heating up. 

Now his vice president is preparing to hit the road as well. Kamala Harris will deliver a series of speeches and appearances in swing states across the country to focus on abortion rights — a potent issue for Democrats since Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization overturned federal abortion protections in 2022.

What You Need To Know

  • Vice President Kamala Harris will soon hit the campaign trail with a series of speeches and appearances in swing states, focusing on abortion rights

  • The point of the tour, her staffers said, is to ensure that the public is aware of the White House's stance on abortion — a key issue among voters since Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022

  • Abortion is expected to be a key issue among women voting in 2024, political experts say, and having a woman on the campaign trail speaking on matters might be another point in the White House's favor

  • Harris provides another potential benefit on the campaign trail — President Joe Biden has seen softer support among Black voters, he remains popular among Black women

“The reason that we're kicking this tour off is one, we want to make sure she wants to make sure that we are taking the fight directly to communities, letting them know where this administration stands in the fight for their reproductive health and their reproductive freedoms,” Harris Press Secretary Kirsten Allen told Spectrum News. “From day one, since Dobbs came down, the President and Vice President believe and are working to firmly protect the right for women to make decisions about their own body.”

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, more than 20 states have banned or severely restricted abortion rights. Michael Genovese, president of the Global Policy Institute at Loyola Marymount University, said this will be a key issue in 2024, and it makes sense to have Harris out front on it.

“Democrats from day one, right after Roe vs. Wade was overturned, have decided to make this one of their premier issues. And in fact, it has legs, it has really resonated, especially among female voters,” said Genovese. “Having a woman out there making that case really strengthens the argument — most of the argument is done by older white males. And younger women look at that, and they go, ‘who are you to talk about my body?’ And so Harris has more legitimacy in talking about that issue.”

This is Harris’ second tour in recent months to try and energize voters ahead of the 2024 election. In the fall, she embarked on a multi-state “Fight for Our Freedoms” college tour, meeting with young voters who have struggled to be excited by the top of the ticket.

“If you look at different groups within the Democratic coalition, women, especially African American women — African Americans are kind of softening in their support for Joe Biden, but African American women are as strong as ever for Biden,” said Genovese. “And young people might respond better to her than they would to the person at the top of the ticket. So Harris has a potential for having a lot of impact in very small segments and groups within the Democratic coalition.”

As for what to expect from the tour itself, Harris’ staff has refrained from saying too much or releasing further dates beyond the January 22 kick-off, which coincides with the 51st anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. But Allen did preview that “protecting freedoms” will be a major theme for the vice president in 2024.

“I think this president and vice president have made sure that this administration stands for protecting freedoms, whether it is the freedom to make decisions about your own body, the freedom to drink clean water and breathe clean air, the freedom to cast your ballot and be a part of this democracy," Allen said.