On August 9, U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris, the 2024 Democratic nominee for president, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Democratic nominee for vice-president, made a presidential campaign stop at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale on traditional O’odham Jewed (“land” in O’odham).

According to the Harris campaign, more than 15,000 supporters waited in line on the exceptionally hot summer day and filed into the venue located across the street from Desert Diamond Casino, which is operated by the Tohono O’odham Nation.

In the hours leading up to the rally, “influencers” invited by the campaign trickled in on the main floor in front of the stage. Excited supporters held up signs and performed “the wave” a few times.

The rally kicked off with an appearance by Gila River Indian Community Governor Stephen Roe Lewis, who addressed the crowd about the wisdom of elders, veterans and women in our communities. His speech was left off the official campaign livestream but was partially broadcast by some local news outlets.

“As we begin tonight’s rally, I want to take a moment to offer an acknowledgement that this rally is being held on O’odham Jewed, the lands of the O’odham and Piipaash who have occupied these lands since time immemorial,” said Lewis, as a rousing ovation with cheers and hollers burst throughout the venue.

“I want to acknowledge the creator for the many gifts he has given us at this time: our homelands, our culture, our language, our mountains and our water.”

Lewis said later, “Tonight, we honor the past. But we look toward the future, because we aren’t going back to a time when our women were not protected. We aren’t going back to a time of divisiveness. We aren’t going back to a time when each and every one of us could not participate in a fair and equal democracy. Let us all come together tonight on our O’odham lands to commit to our future, and let’s bring Arizona home for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, the next president and vice president of these United States.”

Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, Tempe Mayor Corey Woods and outgoing Mesa Mayor John Giles (a Republican) took to the stage to give their support to Harris and Walz.

“I am the very proud mayor of Mesa, Arizona. But I have to say I feel a little out of place today,” Giles said to a mixture of laughter and cheers.

“Partly because we’re in beautiful Glendale. But as you know, I am a lifelong Republican. Thank you for your warm response. I do not recognize my party. The Republican Party has been taken over by extremists that are committed to forcing people in the center of the political spectrum out of the party. I have something to say to those of us who are in the political middle. You don’t owe a damn thing to that party.”

When it was Harris’ turn on stage, she recognized the Native leaders in the building.

“As president, I will always honor tribal sovereignty, respect tribal self-determination and fight for a future where every Native person can realize their aspirations and every Native community is a place of opportunity,” said Harris.

At one point, Harris was interrupted by protesters chanting support for a free Palestine from the upper seating at stage right.

Harris responded to the protesters, “We’re here to fight for our democracy, which includes respecting the voices that I think we are hearing from. Let me just speak to that for a moment and then I’ll get back to the business at hand. I have been clear: Now is the time to get a ceasefire deal and get the hostage deal done. Now is the time. And the president and I are working around the clock every day to get that ceasefire deal done and bring the hostages home.”O’odham Action News reached out to the campaign of former President Donald Trump, 2024 Republican nominee for president, to be present to cover his August 23 Glendale campaign stop with Republican nominee for vice-president JD Vance but did not hear back.