Minnesota Democrats rally support for Kamala Harris ahead of Trump-Vance event in St. Cloud

Ahead of tonight's visit to St. Cloud of Republican nominees Donald Trump and JD Vance, hundreds of Democrats gathered Saturday morning in St. Paul to volunteer for Vice President Kamala Harris in her White House bid.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, Attorney General Keith Ellison and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter were at the rally along with Gov. Tim Walz, who is reportedly on Harris' short list of possible vice presidential running mates.

Walz said the joy of politics "all comes back to Minnesota."

"I'm honored to be in this conversation but ... those Democratic governors, everybody on that list is an incredible leader," Walz said, voicing support for Harris. "There's a reason that Minnesota has voted Democrat since 1972 for president, because we do the work. So what they've done is, they have awakened a sleeping giant, and this giant knows how to do the work."

Those attending the event at the St. Paul Labor Center cheered and hoisted signs reading "Harris for President" and "Stop Trump." After officials spoke, volunteers received training on how to door-knock and canvass neighborhoods for Harris. Campaign officials estimated the crowd at more than 300.

Carter said he expected that Democrats will carry Minnesota in the fall.

"What's even more important than who your mayor is, what's even more important than who your lieutenant governor and governor, and senator and Congress member is, is how [they] are all working together on your behalf," Carter said. "We're going to win Minnesota. We're going to win this race."

Their words come hours before Republican nominees Trump and Vance were scheduled to speak at a Saturday evening rally in St. Cloud. The event marks the ticket's first joint appearance in Minnesota, and follows by two weeks the attempted assassination of Trump at an outdoor rally in Pennsylvania.

The St. Cloud event will be held inside the 8,000-seat Herb Brooks National Hockey Center on the St. Cloud State University campus. Officials say Trump's security remains a top priority.

Trump and Vance "will find in Minnesota that this is a state where we stand up for people, we stand up for our freedoms, and yes we stand up for labor," Klobuchar said at the St. Paul rally. "This week has been about finding that light in the never-ending shade ... that light is making sure that we put Kamala Harris in the White House."

Staff writer Jenny Berg contributed to this report.