There are less than 100 days until voters in the United States decide who will serve as president for the next four years. Of course, the election now looks very different today than it was a month ago.
Earlier this month, the Donald Trump campaign looked well on its way to securing its first general election win in the state. However, since President Joe Biden dropped out of the race, Vice President Kamala Harris’ Campaign has sparked new levels of enthusiasm amongst Democratic voters.
It’s a crystal clear summer morning in Northern Nevada, but volunteers cram into the Nevada Democratic Victory PAC offices in Reno. Campaign signs for state and local politicians hang on the walls.
The volunteers mill about chatting, some eating pastries from the grocery store nearby as they wait for their canvassing assignments – where they will go into neighborhoods and knock on doors to urge voters to support Democrats.
While some in the room have knocked on doors more than once this election cycle, John Solomon, a paid staffer, explains that things are a little different this time.
"A lot has changed in the last week. So, unless you’ve knocked on doors with me in the last five days, we are going to run through a training.”
The most significant difference is that Harris is now at the top of the Democratic ticket, not Biden. The change is so new that most campaign materials still have Biden’s name plastered at the top.
However, Solomon tells the volunteers just to ignore it.
"The campaign instructed us to continue using these for this week, and we're still in the process of reprinting."
After instructions, volunteers quickly snatch up clipboards. Most are gone in seconds before the room clears.
According to Assemblywoman Selena La Rue Hatch, a high school teacher and state lawmaker running for reelection, the campaign has recently become more exciting.
For her, it’s reminiscent of when she was a campaign staffer during the 2008 presidential election.
“I think this energy is incredible. I mean, it has ramped up a million percent in the last week. I worked on the Obama ‘08 campaign and that's really the only thing I can even say it is similar to is just that huge energy and optimism for the future.”
That optimism is relatively new.
According to polling ahead of Biden’s decision to drop out of the race, former President Trump consistently led by at least five points, and that lead grew to double digits after the debate.
Just last month, the nonpartisan Cook Political Report changed its rating of the Nevada race from “toss-up” to “leans Republican.”
And while La Rue Hatch wouldn’t say she was concerned, she admits that the new enthusiasm levels are encouraging.
“I don't know that there was any that we were consigned to anything. I just think that we are so excited about this new energy and these new ideas and just to get out there and really see the face of modern America leading the charge.”
The shake-up at the top of the ticket has been so impactful that it inspired volunteers from other states. Elizabeth Mark is a senior at Truckee High School, a community about 30 miles west of Reno in California. She drove in to volunteer because, as she says, Nevada is still up for grabs.
"I'm really passionate about this election, and I know that Nevada is the place to be if I want to help out. I feel like there's a lot on the line here in terms of what Donald Trump could do if he were elected. And I feel like Kamala Harris is the right person to be our president right now.”
Still, not everyone is convinced Harris' entrance into the race is enough to secure a Democratic victory in November.
Sally Lawes is a clinical director of mental health and substance abuse counseling. She is not convinced Harris will win either, but she believes the Vice President has a better shot at defeating Trump in November than Biden.
“I don't know if we're going to win now. I believe that the outcome is going to be based on Democratic turnout. If we turn out, we win. If we don't turn out, we lose, and there wasn't enthusiasm for him.”
According to state Democrats, more than 1,200 first-time volunteers have signed up to help the campaign since Harris became the presumptive nominee.
