AUSTIN, Texas — Vice President Kamala Harris returned to Austin this weekend to deliver the keynote address at the 2022 Texas Democratic Party JJ Reception in Austin on Saturday, Oct. 8.
The vice president touched down in Austin around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. Harris was greeted by Austin Mayor Steve Adler, Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin) and Travis County Judge Andy Brown on the tarmac at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
Her motorcade proceeded along Interstate 35 on Saturday afternoon before arriving at the LBJ Library, where the vice president was set to speak to nearly 200 people in a moderated discussion about reproductive rights. Harris was to be joined by Mini Timmaraju, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, and Julieta Garibay, senior capacity building director for Groundswell Fund.
Following the conversation, the vice president will head to the 2022 Texas Democratic Party Johnson-Jordan Reception to deliver the keynote address on Saturday evening.
“We’re thrilled and honored that Vice President Kamala Harris will be coming to Texas to help us raise funds ahead of the most crucial election in the history of our state,” said Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa. “Her trip shows that the nation’s eyes truly are upon Texas as we head into the midterm elections – and, critically, that from Beto’s race, to Mike [Collier]’s and Rochelle [Garza]’s races, to races up and down the ballot, Texas is a winnable state. We’re grateful for all the work President Biden and Vice President Harris have done in Washington to deliver for hard-working Texans – and we’re equally thankful that they’re so invested in winning state races in Texas so we can reverse the dangerous course Greg Abbott and his extremist Republican cronies have plunged our state down.”
The annual Johnson-Jordan Reception is hosted to celebrate the "inspirational and guiding legacies of iconic Texas Democrats President Lyndon Johnson and Congresswoman Barbara Jordan." It raises funds for the Democratic Party so that it can execute programs such as vote-by-mail assistance, voter protection efforts, community organizing, direct voter contact and more.
“We could not be more honored or proud that Vice President Kamala Harris will be joining us in Austin next month to help the Texas Democratic Party get out the vote here in Texas,” said Texas Democratic Party Vice Chair Shay Wyrick Cathey. “As a Black woman, Vice President Harris knows the massive resources needed to fight back against the behemoth machine working to strip communities of color of their right to vote. Funds raised from this year’s JJ Reception will have tidal effects on the 2022 midterms here in Texas – and will help the final vote count better reflect the true will of the people of Texas.”
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