Record-Breaking Zoom Call Mobilizes White Women for Kamala Harris

In a historic mobilization effort, more than 160,000 white women joined a groundbreaking virtual event on Thursday night, aiming to support Kamala Harris's presidential campaign. This Zoom call reportedly set a new world record as the largest Zoom meeting ever held, surpassing previous records.

The event, inspired by a similar successful virtual rally targeting Black women earlier in the week, is seen as a crucial step for Democrats, as white women represent a significant voting bloc in this election. The call was part of a broader strategy to gain support from white women, many of whom have leaned Republican in past elections.

Organized by Shannon Watts, a leading gun control advocate, the Thursday event featured notable speakers including actress Connie Britton, former US soccer star Megan Rapinoe, Representative Lizzie Fletcher, and musician Pink. Within less than two hours, the event raised nearly $2 million for Harris’s campaign.

Time to organize a white women conference call like the Black women and men have to support Vice President Kamala Harris.

Who’s in?

— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) July 23, 2024

This massive turnout follows an earlier event hosted by Win With Black Women, which attracted 44,000 participants and raised over $1.5 million. The group's efforts have also inspired calls targeting Black men, which raised more than $1.3 million from over 17,000 donors.

The significance of these mobilization efforts is underscored by historical voting patterns. Exit polls from the 2016 election showed that 52% of white women supported Donald Trump, a factor that helped him secure victory over Hillary Clinton. In 2020, many white women continued to back Trump, underscoring the challenge for Democrats in swaying this demographic.

NEW: We've raised over $8.5 million so far!

All from last night’s Zoom of nearly 200,000 women answering the call for Kamala Harris.

Thank you @WinWithBLKWomen for showing us how it’s done.

Help us get to $10 million: https://t.co/ruTF35YYDC

— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) July 26, 2024

Shannon Watts emphasized the urgency of shifting voting patterns, writing on Instagram, “White women voting for Republicans, even when it appears to be against their best interests, is influenced by various factors, including privilege and systemic racism. But we are not a monolithic group; small changes in our voting behavior can significantly impact election results.”

Watts's call to action aims to replicate the success of Black women’s mobilization, hoping to create a decisive shift in voting momentum and support Kamala Harris in her bid to become the first female president of the United States.