vice president kamala harris She will take part in a briefing Monday on the federal response to Hurricane Helene and will cut her campaign trip short as she plans to visit the storm-ravaged Southeastern United States.
Harris is returning to Washington earlier than planned from Las Vegas, Nevada, where she was on a presidential campaign trip, to attend a briefing at the headquarters of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The change in plans comes after the Republican presidential nominee donald trump The Democrat has been criticized for not being more involved in the disaster response and has been making his own tour of the region.
winds, At least 90 people died due to rain and storm In North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and Virginia, millions of people suffered power outages and destroyed roads.
Harris was briefed on the federal storm response on Sunday as she traveled aboard Air Force Two to campaign in the western United States, where she was raising funds in California and the competitive Nov. 5 election. Uniting voters in the state of Nevada.
They also spoke to North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and contacted Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp to discuss their needs, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Harris initially planned to make a campaign stop in the Las Vegas area, but changed those plans to return to Washington first.
The Democratic presidential nominee also plans to travel to the storm-affected area “as soon as possible without disrupting emergency response operations,” the official said. When and where she would go was not immediately planned.
North Carolina and Georgia are both among the more hotly contested states 2024 race between Harris and Trump,
Trump is visiting Valdosta, Georgia, on Monday to gather information on storm damage and “facilitate the distribution of relief supplies,” his campaign said.
Harris’ campaign has announced campaign stops in Pennsylvania and Michigan on Wednesday and Friday, respectively. Vice Presidential Candidate Tim Walz And JD Vance There will be a debate on Tuesday.
Biden administration officials have said more than 3,300 federal personnel have been deployed as part of the storm response, including search and rescue efforts and restoring power.