retaliator base tour

Aegis Dynamics

The Aegis Dynamics’ Retaliator has landed! One of the United Empire of Earth’s most powerful warbirds, the Retaliator was designed as a fearsome weapons platform designed to strike and kill capital ships. A key portion of the UEE’s power projection, Retaliator squadrons have served with distinction against outlaws, the Vanduul and elsewhere. The base version of the Retaliator is customizable with additional modules to fit your needs.

Category : Retaliator series

"The military needed a ship that could deploy faster than a capital ship, could access a wider variety of jump points, and could still deliver payloads of near equal size and devastation. While a formidable foe on its own, a fleet of Retaliators has time and again proved to be more than a match for larger class vessels." Brochure description

Series Variants

• Retaliator Bomber

Retaliator Base

In-universe, the Retaliator was first introduced as a heavy UEE bomber, with the option to swap out various modules to replace functionality coming later. In-game, the modules have been modelled but are waiting on modularity game systems to be implemented. [5]

Future Modules

CIG have stated that they hope to have more modules types in the future. These include Bomb Bays, [6] Bounty Hunting, Medical, Salvaging and even recharging stations for the Titan armor . [7]

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How will YOU use your Retaliator?

• Aegis Dynamics

By 白い薔薇 December 1, 2014 in Aegis

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All I'm interested in here is a friendly discussion on how one or the other will use there Retaliator once PU Alpha/Beta is Live. Be that of an exploration vessel with its missile/torpedo capabilities swapped out for scanning suites and the like, or those same modules swapped out for more cargo space, allowing you to have one of the most heavily armed and presumably fast (In a straight line) cargo haulers.

With Chris Robert's vision, expansive modular ships is to be expected, even on earlier released ships, the possibility of the team doing a second round on past ships to give them further modular capabilities. It's safe to say, the limit of a ship's role lays more in the pilots skill or the crews combined skill than the ship itself.

Now, in no way is the Retaliator the only ship I have, obviously not, that would be silly to limit myself to a multi-crew vessel such as this, even if it is possibly (POSSIBLY) soloable like the Connie. I have a Banu Merchantman, far more adept at cargo hauling/trading than a Retaliator obviously, as its far, FAR larger, thus capable of having a far, far larger cargo hold. (Considering you can literally fit two Retaliators into the 'skin' of the BMM, nearly even fit a starfarer in there, so its huge, and has a huge cargo hold.)

But, even if the BMM is capable of being solo run thanks to its weapon systems being unmanned and tied to the pilot or a second station. Doesn't mean you 'WANT' to fly that, correct? this isn't a thread about 'oh its much more practicl to fly a BMM or Freelancer over a Retaliator! - of course it is if your interested in just cargo space alone!

What I mean is, your flying it because you 'WANT' to - or 'NEED' to, you want to enjoy it, to feel its design, its flaws~ So without further adue!

I personally, would swap out 3 of the 3 bays, replace the forward bays with cargo space and the last bay with possibilty either a cargo space or some scanning suite. Swap out the 8 TR4's with TR5's if thats even possible to bare 10 TR5 engines ..(Christ, with a weight of 65,100KG ... thats one fast ship in a straight line! but the thrusters do appear capable of vector thrusting)

I have a ship that will outrun quite alot of ships, theres not any other ship of its size with the possible capability of having 10 TR5s! Thus you have now a high speed cargo runner, blockades? you'll be gone before they even get a lock, course now, if you needed to turn, you'll probably just end up splattered against the side of your own ship. But you'll still have those 8 Turrets~ so even if something does keep up? he'll have to fly at you through a hail of bullets if you can try and Maneuver somewhat at top speed, decouple, swing yourself around and bare the majority of your firepower on the following ship!

Just my thoughts! Again, this isn't a thread about whos got the better ship, oh my e-peen is biggar dan yews. Its merely to see how other people besides myself will use the Retaliator.

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Share on other sites, stefmarster.

In my case, I was looking for a ship with capabilities, like the carrack and 890 jump, and I got all of them, becuse I think I might need them in the future for jobs, where small ships just can't handle it.

Well I think of the Retaliator as a more military focused Connie, that is, it's still a very versatile ship but with focusing on long-range bombing, and that's the main reason I bought one. I think I will use it mainly as a deep-space exploration vessel, trading the bomb bays for cargo space and scanning suites, but there will certainly be times that I will fit it with bombs and torpedoes and blow some stuff away

I am planning on playing SC with some friends, so keeping that in mind we all wished to buy a multi-crewed ship that could fit all of us while still being within our price range.  After settling on Combat Ops it didn't take long for us to decide that the Retaliator was the perfect ship for us.  The idea of a heavy hitting fast striking torpedo bomber bristling with turrets appealed to the group so I made the purchase.  As for what we are going to use it for?  As it is a military ship we will probably see reduced fuel capacity compared to many ships of that size, couple that with the massively powerful engines you have already spoken about and we are looking at a ship that will most likely guzzle fuel.  If these assumptions are correct it may not be the best ship for conversion to T&I with the exception of blockade running of which this ship seems almost perfectly designed for.  So in the end me and my 6 buddies decided to use the ship for quick hits on hardened installations like space stations and land structures or against capital ship class vessels.

I am by no means an expert on any of the things going on in SC, but my personal recommendation would be to use it for that role.  If flown in wolf pack squadrons of four they could easily cripple much larger ships without being decimated by the heavier weaponry they carry.  Being used in a fleet to fleet support role may also prove useful for the Retaliator.

To bomb other ships. 

GinsterUnit

I'm hoping I can load the front bay with cargo and load lots of smaller missiles in the rear. For high risk cargo that needs smaller more valuable shipments.

Business up front. Party in the back.

DASKOMMTDAWEG

My Tali will be used if my commanders call to arms. I will stuff it with the most reckless firepower I can find and bomb whoever Gaitlin points to smithereens.  

I need a jingle for my missle lock....

Brother Maynard

Swap out the 8 TR4's with TR5's if thats even possible

I don't think it is unfortunately, TR4 is the max size for the 6 (possibly still 8, but unlikely) secondary engines.

That being said, I'll be dropping lots and lots of marines out of my bomb bays.

• Alfred Drake

Hey guys! I will be utilizing my Tali in many ways. First and foremost I will be using it to help protect our fleets. I feel as though the Tali will be a intimidating ship in the PU. I will be pushing to find every angle I can to be as strong as possible with it in battle but for the most part I would like to think of it as a peace keeping ship. When pirates swoop in on one of our transport or capital ships I will want to be close in hopes that it will make them think again. I will also be running my Redeemer in a similar fashion alongside. Other then that I will be using for exploration as well. I will be switching between cargo space, all out missiles as well as those big bad torpedoes further down the line. With that being said the main focus for me is allowing team mates to feel safe when piloting non combat oriented ships. 

Metternich70

I will keep it in my hangar and, looking at it, I will say ... what a beauty!

Pure Aesthetic Pleasure

64BitSystem

• The Red Comet

Probably going to loan it out to anyone who would be interested in flying it next to my Javelin.

Hyuhyu! Red Comet, add a second Javvie! *flails madly* But I'll probably stick to my Tali and Gladiator~ well ... hyuhyu once customer support gets done with it!

Pretty much this. The Retaliator will be more expensive to operate but will defend itself better than a Connie. Otherwise, they can perform most of the same roles, with the Retaliator doing something the Connie can't: threaten capital ships.

On the ship classes, we now have a Destroyer and a Frigate, and we know there's room for a Corvette class. I consider the Retaliator to occupy the position smaller than a Corvette: a Cutter, perhaps. Like the others, its a war ship designed to threaten other war ships, defend itself against smaller fighters, and in its civilian form, haul cargo.

When the CCU comes out for it, I will very likely upgrade my Gladiator to a Retaliator, as given the information available to date, the Retaliator appears to be far more capable for the extra hundred. And I still hold to my year-old view that a Retaliator will beat the snot out of a Constellation in a fight, the Connie may be able to win a draw by running away, but that's it, if the Connie sticks around, all else equal, it won't survive.

All that said, the ships they've announced so far don't make sense unless the economics of operating these ships is a significant part of the equation. The Connie will be a far more efficient hauler, or something is really wrong.

Gryffin du Verd

I have a vision of my "Star Citizen life" as having just mustered out of Squadron 42 and managed to secure a surplus military vessel (think of getting a scout/courier from the Imperial Interstellar Scout Service in Traveller). With this hull, we're going to try to make our way in the galaxy, trying a number of different "careers". Ideally, I'd like to outfit it for exploration, but still maintain the capability to swap out for a bomb loadout when called back into service for a combat op. It's entirely possible that given the (hopefully) huge expense of running the ship, we'll be forced to run trade as well just to make ends meet. It's the modularity (and the pure sexiness) of the ship that attracts me the most. I can't think of a better home than an aging retired war hero of a ship. A rag-tag group of citizens just trying our damndest to keep an old but noble lady flying... That's Star Citizen for me. Gryff  

Torpedos are the big reason I picked up my Retaliator. That and it looks super sexy.

I will use mine to ruin our ennemies day and inflict them as much misery as possible.

I will load my tali up its neck with the biggest, most badass torpedoes/missiles you can find or purchase. I will fill it up to the cockpit if I can squeeze a launcher next to the pilot seat. Seriously, I will load it so bad its wing will bend to the ground and I would need discardable thrusters just to launch from the hangar (like the assistant you find on today's B52 to take off on a shorter distance).

When my ennemies believe I emptied my bay, I will just open the canopy and throw rocks or use my sidearm to make sure I finished them off. I can't even imagine not being over-aggressive with such a beautiful weapon of destruction.

I bought a MerchanMan as a money maker so I can indulge in an orgy of destruction with my retaliator. I am scratching my head, but I find no other reasonable use of such a ship. If you want a ship for Xploration or hauling, there are far better ship available at a much affordable price. I see the tali as the meanest ship in its price range.

I am sorry, but I am becoming too excited about the idea of me shooting stuff down with extreme prejudice. I got carried away and now I need to get my little pink pills. I would better run to my anger management therapist, like now ;-)

• Danakar Endeel

Best kill = Overkill

I'm going to replace all my gun turrets with missile turrets!!!   Best kill = Overkill

*bows* I approve, entirely.

• 3 weeks later...

Double this.

Mine will probably be used by org members who want to escort me on exploration missions. Not really sure what I would use it for otherwise. 

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Gundam Base World Tour makes stop in Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS — Anime fans in Indianapolis are in for a treat this weekend as the Gundam Base World Tour makes a stop in the Circle City.

The tour set up shop at Hobby Town, located at 8265 Center Run Dr. on Saturday.

Gundam is a Japanese anime that originally premiered in 1979. It introduced giant robots as suits that people could get inside and pilot.

Fans camped out for hours on Saturday for a chance to build and snap pictures with their favorite robot.

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Assessing claims about Tim Walz’s military service

Republicans are attacking the Democratic vice-presidential nominee on his retirement timing and with allegations of “stolen valor.”

When Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday introduced her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, she lauded his lengthy service in the National Guard: “He is a veteran who served our nation in uniform for more than two decades as a member of the Army National Guard.” Walz played up his service, too: “For 24 years, I proudly wore the uniform of this nation. The National Guard gave me purpose.”

Since that moment, Walz’s record has been under attack by Republicans, with claims that he abandoned his troops on the eve of a deployment to Iraq and that, in an instance of “stolen valor,” inflated his credentials and wartime experience.

Here’s an assessment of those claims.

Abandonment of his troops

“When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, you know what he did? He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him.”

— GOP vice-presidential candidate JD Vance, Wednesday

The Washington Post reported that at least three former Guard colleagues have publicly voiced bitterness at Walz’s decision to leave their unit shortly before a possible deployment to Iraq — a deployment that, because it was extended, lasted 19 months. The record shows that Walz made his decision to retire after the National Guard announced the unit might be deployed to Iraq. Walz initially issued a news release indicating he would deploy with his unit.

We constructed the following timeline from interviews, National Guard records and news reports.

April 8, 1981 — Two days after he turns 17, Walz joins the Nebraska National Guard.

1996 — Walz transfers to Minnesota National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery.

September 2001 — Though Walz qualified for retirement at 20 years of service, he said in an interview for a Library of Congress oral history project that the Sept. 11 attacks persuaded him to reenlist.

Aug. 3, 2003 — Walz’s unit deploys for nine months of active duty, based in Vicenza, Italy, to support Operation Enduring Freedom, the war in Afghanistan. The troops provided security for Air Force bases in Turkey, Italy, Belgium and Britain, with some elements deployed to support stability operations in Bosnia and Kosovo, a unit history says . In the Library of Congress interview, Walz said the experience made him more politically aware.

April 2004 — Walz returns to Minnesota.

Feb. 5, 2005 — Walz, describing himself in a news release as “Mankato West High School teacher and Command Sergeant Major in the National Guard,” files paperwork saying he is exploring running for Congress.

March 17 — The National Guard announces possible partial mobilization of 2,000 troops. “The announcement from the National Guard PAO [Public Affairs Office] specified that all or a portion of Walz’s battalion could be mobilized to serve in Iraq within the next two years,” according to a March 20 news release issued by the Walz campaign. “Walz Still Planning to Run for Congress Despite Possible Call to Duty in Iraq,” the headline said.

In the news release, Walz said he “had no plans to drop out of the race.” He also said: “As Command Sergeant Major I have a responsibility not only to ready my battalion for Iraq, but also to serve if called on. I am dedicated to serving my country to the best of my ability, whether that is in Washington DC or in Iraq.”

March 21 — KEYC, a radio station in North Mankato, Minn., broadcasts a report that highlighted Walz’s “unique position” in light of the National Guard announcement. “He will continue his campaign for the congressional seat, despite his possible deployment to Iraq,” the newscast said. “Walz also says if called to active duty in Iraq, his family will continue his campaign back home in Mankato.”

May 16 — The Harris campaign did not respond to a request to provide the day when Walz submitted his retirement papers, but records show this is Walz’s last day with the National Guard. He is 41. His daughter, Hope, is 4. In the Library of Congress interview, Walz said he left the Guard in April “to run for this office.” He said that “we were concerned we would try to do both” and “I decided to retire to focus full time on running.”

Maj. Gen. Randy Manner , U.S. National Guard (ret.), who oversaw overseas deployments, told The Fact Checker that it usually takes at least 90 days to process retirement requests so “60 days would be extraordinarily fast.” Manner said that the Minnesota adjutant general has the final say and could have blocked Walz’s retirement if he thought it would have had a negative impact on the possible deployment.

A former top official in the Minnesota National Guard at the time, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid being entangled in politics, told The Fact Checker that there was no consideration of blocking Walz’s retirement.

July 14 — Walz’s unit officially receives orders to deploy.

Oct. 14 — Unit is mobilized.

March 2006 — Unit deploys.

November 2006 — Walz elected to Congress.

October 2007 — Unit returns after deployment was extended.

Assessment: Walz knew that he might soon be deployed to Iraq. However, he had served nearly a quarter-century in the Guard and had already announced he was considering a congressional race. He has said he could not do both, and so chose to run for Congress. Whether he abandoned his troops is a matter of perspective, but it is noteworthy that his retirement request was not blocked.

In a statement, the Harris campaign said: “After 24 years of military service, Governor Walz retired in 2005 and ran for Congress, where he was a tireless advocate for our men and women in uniform — and as Vice President of the United States he will continue to be a relentless champion for our veterans and military families.” The campaign did not respond directly to a question about the timing of his resignation and why he left.

Stolen valor claims

Republicans have cited three examples of “stolen valor” — broadly intended to mean Walz is claiming credit for something he did not achieve in the military. The Stolen Valor Act of 2013 makes it a crime to claim to be a recipient of various military medals or badges — and Walz is not accused of that.

‘Command Sergeant Major’

“Walz referred to himself as a retired command sergeant major in his run for Congress and governor. This is a lie and stolen valor.”

— Ashley Hayek, chief engagement officer, America First Policy Institute, Wednesday

Walz’s biography on his website says: “After 24 years in the Army National Guard, Command Sergeant Major Walz retired from the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion in 2005.” At various times, such as in a 2006 C-SPAN interview , he described himself as a command sergeant major. Republicans say that is misleading because he is receiving retirement benefits for the rank one level below — master sergeant. That’s because he still needed additional training at the time he retired.

“He held multiple positions within field artillery such as firing battery chief, operations sergeant, first sergeant, and culminated his career serving as the command sergeant major for the battalion,” said Army Lt. Col. Kristen Augé, Minnesota National Guard’s state public affairs officer. “He retired as a master sergeant in 2005 for benefit purposes because he did not complete additional coursework at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy.”

The Harris-Walz campaign on its website initially called Walz a “retired Command Sergeant Major” but then updated his biography to say he “served as a command sergeant major.”

Assessment: This is on the line. He did achieve the title he has claimed, for a total of seven months, but it would be more accurate to say he “served as command sergeant major” rather than claim the title outright.

Operation Enduring Freedom

“Tim Walz Falsely Claimed He Served in Afghanistan.”

— Washington Free Beacon headline, Wednesday

Walz’s deployment overseas was in support of the war in Afghanistan, dubbed Operation Enduring Freedom, Augé said, saying “the battalion supported security missions at various locations in Europe and Turkey.”

Generally, Walz makes that clear. “I deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom,” he said in a 2007 C-SPAN interview. “My battalion provided base security throughout the European Theater from Turkey to England in the early stages of the war in Afghanistan.”

But Republicans have pointed to a 2006 news release by his congressional campaign, which called him “a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom” and also a 2004 photo in which he is holding a sign saying “Enduring Freedom — Veterans for Kerry.”

Augé said Walz earned a Global War on Terrorism medal but the records are unclear on whether it was a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal or a Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal . A Harris-Walz campaign aide said it was the service medal, which is for individuals who either directly or indirectly supported these designated operations: Airport security, Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Assessment: This is also on the line. We can find no evidence Walz ever claimed he served in Afghanistan. He served overseas in support of the Afghanistan war, but sometimes his phrasing might mislead people into thinking he was an Afghanistan veteran.

Carrying weapons

“Well, I wonder. Tim Walz, when were you ever in war?”

— Vance, Wednesday

The Harris campaign circulated a 2018 clip of Walz arguing in support of gun restrictions. “We can make sure that those weapons of war that I carried in war is the only place where those weapons are at,” he said.

There is no evidence that Walz served in combat — and he has not claimed he did. He did receive ribbons for proficiency in sharpshooting and hand grenades, according to military records obtained through an open records request by MPR News .

“In his 24 years of service, the governor carried, fired and trained others to use weapons of war innumerable times,” a Harris-Walz campaign aide said. “Governor Walz would never insult or undermine any American’s service to this country — in fact, he thanks Senator Vance for putting his life on the line for our country. It’s the American way.” The aide did not address his use of the phrase “in war.”

On Friday, after this fact check first appeared online, campaign spokesman Ammar Moussa told The Post that “the governor misspoke” in his remarks. “He did handle weapons of war and believes strongly that only military members trained to carry those deadly weapons should have access to them.”

Assessment: Walz’s language was sloppy and false. He did carry weapons of war — just not in war.

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March 8th 2015

Retaliator demo

Reintroducing Aegis Retaliator

T he Retaliator is one of Star Citizen’s premiere multi-crew fighting ships! While crewed ships are not uncommon in the ‘Verse, the larger options tend to be oriented more towards transport and exploration than fighting. The Retaliator is a fighting bomber covered in turrets which carries a heavy bomb load; the perfect thing for striking at enemy bases and capital ships!

As you can see the Retaliator has received a lot of attention. We are honored to share the stage in the evolution of the Aegis Retaliator!

End Transmission

Kamala Harris energizes Democrats and shakes up presidential race. Can she keep this up?

• Democrats who were demoralized by Biden's performance and the prospects of a devastating loss to Trump in November now think they have a real shot at winning.
• Harris' campaign raised a staggering $310 million in July and more than double the $137 million the Trump campaign raised during the same period.

WASHINGTON ― In Claudia Nachega’s circle, a gloomy reality had started to sink in.

Donald Trump was going to win.

Then, on a sunny Sunday afternoon, everything changed. President Joe Biden dropped out, Kamala Harris stepped in, and victory for the Democrats seemed miraculously within reach.

For young voters like herself, said Nachega, who will be casting her first vote for president, this is a historic moment – a chance to elect the first female president, the second president of color and a president who relates to their generation and shares their vision for the future.

It is, she said, their Barack Obama moment.

“Maybe the stars have aligned,” said Nachega, 19, a feminist organizer from Rockville, Maryland.

A natural successor: As President Joe Biden steps aside, is America ready for President Kamala Harris?

In just two weeks, Harris’ elevation from vice president to Democratic nominee has changed the trajectory of the presidential race.

Democrats demoralized by Biden’s performance as their nominee and the prospects of a devastating loss to Trump in November are reenergized and think they have a real shot at winning.

Polls that showed Biden heading for a landslide loss against Trump now show a dead-even race . Some give Harris a slight lead .

Money is rolling in. Harris’ campaign raised a staggering $310 million in July, the biggest haul of the election cycle and more than double the $137 million the Trump campaign raised during the same period. More than $200 million of the Democrats’ stash poured in after Harris became the likely nominee.

Huge crowds are showing up at Harris’ rallies. In Atlanta , 10,000 supporters lined up for hours in the sweltering heat on Tuesday for the chance to see the likely nominee, whose opening act was the rapper Megan Thee Stallion . A virtual fundraiser held by a group called White Dudes for Kamala drew more than 190,000 participants and raised more than $4 million.

Harris’ nascent campaign will almost certainly get another jolt of energy with her choice of a vice-presidential running mate. Harris, who is nearing a decision, is set to interview finalists for the job this weekend and could announce her pick any day.

Finalists include Govs. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, Kentucky's Andy Bashear, Tim Walz of Minnesota and Pennsylvania's Josh Shapiro. Also in the mix are Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. All are white men, signaling the campaign is hoping to strike a balance given that she is the first Black woman and South Asian candidate to top the presidential ticket.

Harris is expected to hold her first rally with her new running mate –whoever it is – in Philadelphia on Tuesday.

Not only has Harris fired up the party’s base, Democratic strategist Isaac Wright said, “you also see all but the extremists of the MAGA base starting to take a second look at the election and who they’re going to vote for.”

“That’s a big deal,” said Wright, a veteran political operative who previously worked on Hillary Clinton’s and Al Gore’s presidential campaigns.

Democrats are talking enthusiastically once again about reassembling the Obama coalition – a voting bloc of racial minorities, women and young voters who twice helped propel the nation’s first Black president into the Oval Office. Harris, they believe, just might be the person to do it.

Trump’s campaign rejected the Democrats’ argument that Harris is a stronger candidate and would be harder for the Republican nominee to beat.

"Kamala Harris is just as weak, failed and incompetent as Joe Biden – and she’s also dangerously liberal,” Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said.

A vote for Harris, Leavitt said, “is a vote for more crime, inflation, open borders, high gas prices, and war around the world, and our team will make sure every American knows it.”

Prosecutor vs. convicted felon: How Democrats believe Harris’ background changes the election

'She has fresh new ideas'

Three days after Biden exited the race and Harris stepped in, American Bridge 21st Century, a super PAC that supports Democratic candidates, launched a $20 million ad campaign in the key swing states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. The ad campaign featured real voters and was designed to highlight the contrast between Harris, a former prosecutor, and Trump, who was convicted in May of 34 felonies involving hush money payments to a former porn star with whom he allegedly had an extramarital affair.

More voters, including former Trump supporters, are eager to go before the cameras and talk about their fears of a second Trump presidency now that Harris is in the race, said Pat Dennis, president of American Bridge.

“When Joe Biden in 2020 got into the race, he was talking about passing the torch to a new generation,” Dennis said. “What we’re seeing here now is basically the torch being passed onto a new generation of leadership – somebody who’s fresh. She has obviously been on the national stage as vice president. But, really, there’s a sense that it’s time for her to step into power, that she has fresh new ideas.”

The difference with Harris in the race “is night and day,” said Will Halm, a Democratic fundraiser in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Before Biden stepped aside, Halm held fundraising events for Ruben Gallego , who is running for Senate in Arizona, and Rep. Gabe Vasquez, who is seeking re-election in New Mexico. Donors were reluctant to give money to either candidate while Biden was the party’s presidential nominee. But as soon as congressional leaders called publicly for Biden to drop out of the race, “these donors came in and maxed out within hours,” Halm said.

The enthusiasm has been especially noticeable among young voters, Halm said. Two of his three children – all in their 20s – had declared they wouldn’t vote in the presidential race. With Harris atop the Democratic ticket, “it has been astonishing to see how engaged they are now,” he said.

Rachel Janfaza has seen the same transformation. Janfaza, who publishes a newsletter called “The Up and Up” that focuses on how young voters are – or are not – actively participating in civics life and politics, said many feel that, for the first time, they have “a candidate who they are genuinely excited by and feel they can organize for rather than just vote against.”

“This generation has grown up amid hyper partisanship and the polarizing political climate and is psyched by the possibility of hope, not fear-driven politics, for the first time in their political lives,” Janfaza said.

For some Gen Z voters – those born roughly between 1997 and 2012 – this will be the first presidential election in which they are eligible to vote. When their choices were Biden and Trump, “a lot of people didn't necessarily feel that either of those two candidates represented them, but that they were choosing sort of lesser of two evils,” Janfaza said.

Janfaza held a listening session with a dozen young voters after Harris entered the race. Many of them felt that, in Harris, they have a candidate who not only shares their views on issues like abortion access and LGBTQ rights, but one who actually understands them.

“She has been quoted time and time again saying, ‘I love Gen Z! I love Gen Z!’” Janfaza said.

'Fearless' or 'failed'? Kamala Harris launches TV ad to define her record and so does Trump

'She is just a different vibe'

Erik Daniels, 28, who is organizing young voters in the battleground state of Arizona for NexGen America, said the nonpartisan organization has seen a 200% increase in signups since Biden dropped out.

“What we've seen is that young voters, for a while, felt that both candidates were a bit out of touch,” Daniels said. “I’ve heard a lot less of that recently.”

Armonee Jackson, 26, of Phoenix, said the proliferation of memes that are popping up online about Harris are a sure sign that young people are paying attention to her campaign. Jackson, the Arizona president of Young Democrats for America, said the group is also seeing an increase in organizing calls with Harris atop the ticket.

“I’ve been seeing at least three or four calls per week since the news dropped about what we can do to support VP Harris,” Jackson said. “We’ve seen quite a shift.”

Mary Latu, 37, lives in the small Minnesota town of Chisago City, northeast of the Twin Cities metro, where her progressive ideals are outnumbered by a Republican majority.

Her vote for Biden in the primary in March was coated with skepticism that he would drop out of the race before November, hoping that Harris would step up. When her wish came true, she was even more energized to vote Democrat in the election, thinking, “If Harris is the ticket, I’m all in.”

Latu, a second-generation American coming from Pacific Islander descent, said seeing a Black woman of South Asian descent in the White House representing American minorities is energizing.

“She’s a person of color, she’s a mother, and she is just a different vibe from what we’ve had in the past,” Latu said.

Joel Harvey, 54, of Seattle, had planned to vote for Biden. But now he’s behind Harris – “1,000%.”

“She's got the fight in her – the necessary fight in her to bring everything to the table and bring everybody to the table,” Harvey said. “I feel as though she's a good voice to speak for everybody.”

“I like her voice, and I like her laugh,” Harvey said. “She’s everything I would want in a candidate.”

Contributing: Sam Woodward and Rachel Barber.

Michael Collins covers the White House. Follow him on X @mcollinsNEWS.

The Key Points at the top of this article were created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and reviewed by a journalist before publication. No other parts of the article were generated using AI. Learn more .