Democratic VP Tim Kaine makes campaign stop at FSW

Reporter: Corey Lazar
Published: Updated:

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Hillary Clinton supporters gathered into a packed room at Florida Southwestern College on Saturday to watch Democratic vice-presidential nominee Tim Kaine make the case for his running mate.

Kaine addressed healthcare, investing in the economy, small businesses, better salaries for teachers and Donald Trump.

“Donald Trump’s passion is himself,” Kaine told WINK News in an interview. “If you look at things like PolitiFact and checked on the honesty of what he says, there is no comparison between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.”

PolitiFact, a political fact-checking website, shows that while both candidates have made false statements, Trump has made significantly more than Clinton.

Kaine then explains what sets Clinton apart from Trump is her passion.

“Why I trust Hillary Clinton is that she has had a passion her whole life of empowering families and kids and it has been a constant,” Kaine said. “I look at a public official and say ‘Is there something you really care about and have been constant about it when you are in office or not, winning or losing?'”

Kaine also said that the goal of this event was to mobilize voters to get to the polls.

“Many of the people that were here today were volunteers,” Kaine said. “This was a canvass kickoff. A lot of them have already early voted and they are ready to start canvassing this weekend to make sure other people turn out on Tuesday.”

Some of these other people include African American voter Lenise Joseph.

Joseph is trying to get African American voters in Lee County to be more energized about Clinton.

“I wish I could say it was the same as 2012, but it is not quite there,” Joseph said. “But as we are getting closer and closer to election day, I think we are going to start to realize it is now or never.”

Kaine noted that while African american voters started slow, they picked up in some positive ways during the early voting period.

However, he refuses to take any votes for granted.

“You are definitely trying to maximize every Democratic leader and get their vote,” Kaine said. “We do feel like we have the ability to persuade Independents, Republican-leaning Independents and even Republicans.”

Lee County volunteers for the Clinton campaign have knocked on 33,000 doors and convinced 2,000 people to register to vote.

Polls will open Tuesday at 7:00 a.m.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.