Harris calls herself an underdog with momentum during a fundraiser speech

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — In her first fundraiser since becoming her party’s candidate for president, Vice President Harris on Saturday called herself the underdog in the race but predicted that she and Democrats would win in November.

"We got a fight ahead of us and we are the underdogs in this race," she said Saturday afternoon at the Colonial Theatre. "But this is a people-powered campaign and we have momentum."

Harris told supporters that the race was a choice between two visions for the country — one looking toward the future and one that wants to undo the country's progress.

"Let us make no mistake. This campaign is not just about us vs. Donald Trump," she said. "As we fight to move our nation forward, Donald Trump intends to take our country backward."

The vice president also returned to a theme of freedom — freedom to vote, freedom from gun violence and reproductive freedom. She accused Trump of being a threat to women's fundamental right to make decisions about their bodies and suggested that he would not stop there.

"Do we want to live in a country of freedom, compassion and rule of law or a country of chaos, fear and hate?" Harris said.

She also commented on Trump and his VP pick Sen. JD Vance's latest attacks against her since her ascent as the presumptive Democratic nominee.

"You may have noticed, Donald Trump has been resorting to some wild lies about my record and some of what he and his running mate are saying, well, it's just plain weird," she said, drawing laughter from the crowd.

According to the Harris campaign, the vice president was expected to raise more than $1.4 million at her first fundraiser. Roughly 800 people attended the event.