The Grammy-winning rapper was candid about her initial hesitation to vote, calling out both political parties before saying that Harris’s entry into the race swayed her to support the Vice President’s campaign. “I wasn’t gonna vote this year,” Cardi B began, before emphasizing Harris’s qualities of “passion, compassion, and sanity.” She didn't hold back as she slammed former President Donald Trump as a “bully,” vowing to deny him a “second chance.”
But the night didn’t go exactly as planned. Cardi’s speech was interrupted by a teleprompter malfunction, leaving her stranded on stage for nearly a full minute as the crowd cheered her on. A staff member sprinted over to hand her a phone with her speech notes, finally allowing her to regain her footing and deliver the rest of her message with renewed confidence. "I've been waiting for this moment my whole life," she told the crowd, jokingly calling out for “patience” as she waited for the teleprompter fix.
As she continued, Cardi made a fiery comparison between herself and Harris, framing both as underdogs who have faced skepticism and discrimination. “Women have to work ten times harder and perform ten times better,” she declared, drawing roars of approval from the audience. Cardi's impassioned speech, combined with her decision to publicly back Harris, gave Harris a valuable ally in mobilizing Milwaukee’s urban voters, especially young women and voters of color.
The rally comes as both parties make a last-ditch effort to swing Wisconsin, a critical state that Trump won by a razor-thin margin in 2016 before losing it to Biden in 2020. Harris hopes to exceed the record Democratic turnout in Milwaukee that helped clinch Wisconsin for Biden. "Are we ready to make history?" Cardi asked the crowd, as Harris prepared to close out the rally.
Kamala Harris Calls Out Trump, Appeals to Gen Z Voters
Earlier in the night, Harris spoke to the crowd with a mix of policy promises and attacks on Trump, underscoring the urgency of the election. In a passionate appeal to Wisconsin voters, she accused Trump of trying to “roll back” the progress of the Affordable Care Act and ignoring labor rights. “He’s an existential threat to America’s labor movement,” she charged, promising to scrap “unnecessary” degree requirements for federal jobs and push private sector employers to do the same.
Taking a more lighthearted tone at points, Harris gave a special nod to Gen Z, calling them “rightly impatient for change.” As she rallied Wisconsin’s youth vote, she pointed to Cardi B as an example of how women in America can rise to the top despite doubters and haters.
With just days left until Election Day, Harris is banking on a high turnout in Wisconsin’s largest county, where Milwaukee is home to the state's largest Black population and where Democrats need strong support to counter Trump’s rural and suburban base.
Unexpected Controversy with GloRilla's Set
In another buzzworthy moment, rapper GloRilla took the stage to perform her hits “Hollon” and “Yeah Glo,” but her set wasn’t without issues. The more graphic lyrics were censored, leading some in the crowd to wonder if her microphone was malfunctioning. Despite the technical challenges, GloRilla’s performance only added to the high-energy atmosphere as Harris and her team sought to energize Milwaukee’s young voters.
Wisconsin has become a must-win state for both parties, with four of the last six presidential elections there decided by less than 23,000 votes. As Milwaukee continues to be a focal point, Harris’s rally, along with Cardi B’s endorsement, aims to tip the scales in a tight race that could come down to the last absentee ballot counted.
Will Cardi’s Endorsement Turn the Tide?
Cardi B’s political evolution from a Trump critic to a Harris supporter has generated both praise and skepticism, yet her platform and influence could provide a significant boost to the Vice President’s campaign. With this high-stakes showdown in Wisconsin, Harris and Cardi B are betting on the power of celebrity, music, and grassroots energy to rally the voters that could swing the state’s outcome—and maybe even the nation’s.