Location, times, tickets and road closures

Vice President Kamala Harris will return to Pennsylvania today, fresh off a high-profile debate with former President Donald Trump in Philadelphia earlier this week.

Harris is expected to make two stops today. On Friday afternoon, she will make a campaign stop in Johnstown, near Pittsburgh, around 1:50 p.m., then head east to Wilkes-Barre for a rally at Wilkes University around 7 p.m. Details of both stops have not yet been released.

The visit is part of what her campaign is calling a “New Way Forward” in key battleground states, including North Carolina on Thursday night, where she renewed her call for Trump to debate again.

“I think we should have another debate with voters because this election and what’s at stake couldn’t be more important,” Harris said.

While Trump held out the possibility of a second debate with Harris during a visit to Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday, he all but blocked the idea entirely on Thursday, writing in all caps on Truth Social: “There will be no third debate!”

Here’s everything you need to know about Harris’ visit to Wilkes-Barre today:

Where in Pennsylvania will Harris’ rally be held?

Harris’ Friday rally will be held at the McHale Athletic Center on the grounds of Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, about two hours north of Philadelphia in Luzerne County.

This is Harris’ third visit to Pennsylvania this week. She was in Pittsburgh over the weekend, campaigning and preparing for Tuesday’s presidential debate at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

Overall, this is Harris’ twelfth visit this year to Pennsylvania, a state that is a key reference point and will likely decide the winner of the 2024 election.

What time does the Harris Rally start in Wilkes-Barre?

Harris is scheduled to speak at 7 p.m., with doors set to open in the afternoon.

It’s unclear how long Harris’ speech will be, but it won’t be as long as Trump’s, which typically last several hours. She spoke for about 25 minutes at a campaign rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Thursday.

Harris is on the schedule

Where can I watch the Harris rally in Wilkes-Barre?

C-SPAN will broadcast the rally starting at 6:30 p.m. A live stream of Harris’ Saturday rally can also be found on YouTube, but it’s better to follow the coverage on major channels like the Associated Press and PBS.

The live stream can be viewed on Inquirer.com, courtesy of the Washington Post:

How do I get tickets to the Harris rally in Wilkes-Barre?

The Pennsylvania Democratic Party has launched a website where anyone interested in attending Harris’ rally in Wilkes-Barre today can sign up. Click here for more information and for a chance to win tickets.

Will the roads be closed?

Roads around the McHale Athletic Center, including Academy, Market and River streets, will be closed all day, police said. George Avenue and Wilkes-Barre Boulevard in downtown Wilkes-Barre will also be closed for part of the day.

Police also warned to expect delays and closures on I-81 and U.S. 309 ahead of the gathering.

President Biden will be in Philadelphia on Monday

President Joe Biden will return to Philadelphia on Monday, according to the White House. Details about when and where the visit would take place have not been announced.

Biden was in Pennsylvania on Wednesday to mark the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He and Harris attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the Flight 93 memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the site of the plane crash that occurred after passengers and crew resisted terrorists who tried to hijack the plane.

While in town, Biden stopped at the Shanksville Volunteer Fire Department, where he donned a red Trump hat to promote unity.

Trump also attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the Flight 93 memorial on Wednesday, shortly after Biden and Harris took off. He also visited the Shanksville Volunteer Fire Department, where was warmly welcomed by the fans. Trump won nearly 68% of the vote in Cambria County, defeating Biden in the 2020 election.