**Harris-Walz Campaign Deploys Sports Stars for Final Election Push**

As Election Day approaches, Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Governor Tim Walz, are ramping up their campaign efforts by engaging with Americans through two beloved pastimes—sports and television. This evening, during the highly anticipated Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Georgia Bulldogs game on ABC, the Harris-Walz campaign will unveil a new primetime ad, targeting former President Donald Trump.

The "Say It To My Face" ad humorously chides Trump for refusing to participate in another live debate with Vice President Harris. Although Trump has dismissed the notion, the general consensus was that Harris emerged victorious during their initial encounter on September 10, also aired on ABC. The 30-second spot opens with the sports aphorism, "winners never back down from a challenge," and labels Trump a "loser," further mocking him for avoiding an October 25 debate on CNN.

In addition to the national broadcast of the ad during Week 6 of the 2024 college football season, the Harris-Walz team plans to amplify their message with an aerial stunt. A plane bearing the message "Trump's Punting on 2nd Debate" is set to fly over Bryant-Denny Stadium, where the Bulldogs and Crimson Tide clash, an event Trump is expected to attend along with more than 100,000 spectators.

Meanwhile, Governor Walz has his own sporting engagements on the campaign trail. Ahead of a debate with GOP VP candidate Senator J.D. Vance on October 1, Walz is set to appear at a college football game between the University of Michigan and the University of Minnesota in Ann Arbor.

The Democrats are pulling no punches as they enlist a cadre of sports icons under the "Athletes for Harris" initiative. The campaign is backed by household names such as Magic Johnson, Billie Jean King, Calvin Johnson, Steve Kerr, and several others. Among their endorsers are 15 Pro Football Hall of Famers, including Mel Blount of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys, alongside 50 notable former HBCU players.

By integrating these sports figures into their campaign, Harris and Walz aim to capture the hearts of voters in key battleground states like Michigan and Pennsylvania. The campaign's strategy extends beyond college football, with planned appearances and ads during NFL's Sunday Night Football, Monday Night Football, the PGA Presidents Cup, and the final MLB regular season games. As the campaign declares, "Game On!"