Historic Zoom Rally Boosts Harris Among White Women

On Thursday, a groundbreaking Zoom event drew over 160,000 attendees, primarily white women. The event rallied support for Kamala Harris and raised nearly $8.5 million for her presidential campaign. This follows a similar successful virtual event aimed at Black women voters earlier in the week.

White women are a pivotal demographic for Democrats in the upcoming election. Harris, who could become the first female president and the first Black and South Asian woman to be a major party’s presidential candidate, has seen her campaign gain significant momentum since Joe Biden announced last Sunday that he would not seek re-election.

The event, titled “White Women: Answer the Call,” was widely circulated on social media. It urged white women, who have predominantly voted Republican, to support Harris. The Zoom call, inspired by the earlier event for Black women, set a world record with 164,000 participants. It raised nearly $2 million in less than two hours. Prominent gun control activist Shannon Watts organized Thursday’s event. Speakers included actor Connie Britton, former soccer star Megan Rapinoe, US House representative Lizzie Fletcher, and musician Pink. By Friday afternoon, the event had raised more than $8.5 million.

This initiative builds on the momentum from a call hosted by Win With Black Women, a group of Black women leaders and organizers. That call, held on Sunday, drew 44,000 participants and raised over $1.5 million shortly after Biden’s announcement. Founded by strategist Jotaka Eaddy, the group has organized several successful calls since 2020.

Historically, white women have predominantly voted for Republican candidates. In both the 2016 and 2020 elections, 52% of white women cast their ballots for Donald Trump. This trend has been consistent since the 2000 presidential election, according to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.

Watts expressed hope that this year will be different. She urged white women to mobilize like Black women. She highlighted the complexity of white women’s voting patterns, influenced by privilege, systemic racism, sexism, and other factors. Watts emphasized that even small shifts in this voting bloc could significantly impact election outcomes. She aims to help elect Harris as president in 100 days.

Re-reported form the article originally published in The Guardian.