Harris to make her closing argument at the Ellipse 1 week ahead of election

Vice President Harris will give an address at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, one week before Election Day.

Harris will make her closing argument during the remarks, during which she will plead with voters to turn the page on former President Trump, according to a senior Harris campaign official.

The Harris campaign sent a request earlier this month to the National Park Service (NPS) to use the National Mall on Oct. 29 for “First Amendment Activity” from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to an application for a permit obtained by The Hill’s partner NewsNation.

The campaign then sent an updated request Monday to the NPS to move the proposed speech to the Ellipse.

In the application, the campaign included a request for a stage and a setup for a standing crowd. It estimated about 7,500 people would attend the event. The campaign outlined that there would be a speaking program, consisting of four to five speakers that would include some elected officials.

The Ellipse, which is south of the White House, was the site of the Jan. 6, 2021, pro-Trump rally where Trump spoke before attendees headed to the Capitol.

Harris plans on Tuesday to paint a picture for Americans on what a Harris presidency compared to a Trump one would look like, and her campaign advisers wanted to use the Ellipse as a symbolic location, the official said.

Harris has made condemning Jan. 6 and Trump’s actions that day a centerpiece of her campaign, warning against electing him because he is after “unchecked” power. She also plans to make that a large part of her closing argument.

The vice president hasn’t campaigned much in Washington, other than using her residence as a site for remarks and interviews. A major campaign event in D.C. would be a break from her travel to battleground states.

Updated at 6 p.m. EDT

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