Kamala Harris urges Floridians to 'put our country back on the right track'

Trump supporters demonstrate on West Colonial Drive as the motorcase of Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris arrives for an early-voting event at the Central Florida Fairgrounds, Monday, October 19, 2020. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)

ORLANDO, Fla. _ U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris encouraged Floridians to vote early to "put our country back on the right track" during a campaign visit to Orlando on Monday.

The Democratic candidate for vice president held an outdoor, drive-in rally at the Central Florida Fairgrounds, where invited guests in about 50 cars honked their horns in approval as she and others spoke on the first day of early voting in the state.

"Orlando!" Harris exclaimed. "Look at what my eyes behold."

Supporters cheer Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris she delivers remarks during an early-voting event at the Central Florida Fairground, Monday, October 19, 2020. Trump supporters demonstrate nearby (background.) (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)

"Today I had to come here on the kickoff of early voting in Florida because y'all are going to make it happen," she said. "What you will do here in Florida and Orlando by early voting, you will be the first to put our country back on the right track."

Harris, a California senator, praised Central Florida U.S. Reps. Val Demings and Stephanie Murphy, who attended the rally, but added, "I know you have some other elected officials too, and they aren't doing what's in the best interest of people.

"We know better. We know when somebody's trying to play us. We know when somebody is trying to pull the wool over our eyes," Harris said. "Why are so many powerful people trying to get in the way of us voting? ... The answer, of course, we know, is this: They know when we vote, we win. We change things. We make it better."

Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris responds to cheering supporters as she takes the stage for an early-voting event at the Central Florida Fairgrounds in Orlando, Monday, October 19, 2020. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)

"They know our power," she said. "We know our power. And know we will never let anybody take that power away from us."

Harris criticized President Donald Trump for what she called a "cover-up" of what he knew about the airborne danger of the coronavirus, and how deadly it was, from as far back as January.

Trump's handling of COVID-19, which has killed almost 220,000 people in the U.S., is the "greatest failure of any presidential administration in the history of America," she said.

Trump supporters demonstrate on West Colonial Drive as the motorcade of Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris arrives for an early-voting event at the Central Florida Fairgrounds in Orlando, Monday, October 19, 2020. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)

"This man denied facts, denied science, and lied to the American people," Harris said of Trump. "You know we need a change and a change is coming."

Murphy told the crowd, "Make a plan that allows you to vote early and safely."

"Don't wait until the last minute because you never know," Murphy said. "A hurricane, a pandemic, or swarm of Old Testament locusts could overtake the state on Election Day. Hey, it's 2020, you can't take anything for granted."

Trump supporters demonstrate on West Colonial Drive as the motorcase of Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris arrives for an early-voting event at the Central Florida Fairgrounds, Monday, October 19, 2020. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)

Harris was scheduled to attend another get-out-the-vote rally in Jacksonville later in the day.

The senator had suspended her travel over the weekend as a precaution after her communications director and another person connected to her tested positive for coronavirus. Harris tested negative.

Harris rescheduled her planned trip to North Carolina to Wednesday.

Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris delivers remarks during an early-voting event at the Central Florida Fairground, Monday, October 19, 2020. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)

Supporters wait for Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris to arrive at an early-voting event at the Central Florida Fairgrounds in Orlando, Monday, October 19, 2020. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)

Supporters wait for Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris to arrive at an early-voting event at the Central Florida Fairgrounds in Orlando, Monday, October 19, 2020. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)

Supporters cheer Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris she delivers remarks during an early-voting event at the Central Florida Fairground, Monday, October 19, 2020. Trump supporters demonstrate nearby (background.) (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)

Supporters cheer Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris she delivers remarks during an early-voting event at the Central Florida Fairground, Monday, October 19, 2020. Trump supporters demonstrate nearby (background.) (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)

A gust of wind hits Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris as she arrives at Orlando International Airport, Monday, October 19, 2020. Harris is in Orlando to attend an early-voting event at the Central Florida Fairgrounds. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)

Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris responds to cheering supporters as she takes the stage for an early-voting event at the Central Florida Fairgrounds, Monday, October 19, 2020. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)

A gust of wind blows the hair of Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris as she arrives at Orlando International Airport, Monday, October 19, 2020. Harris is in Orlando to attend an early-voting event at the Central Florida Fairground with Rep. Val Demings. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)

A gust of wind hits Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris as she arrives at Orlando International Airport, Monday, October 19, 2020. Harris is in Orlando to attend an early-voting event at the Central Florida Fairgrounds. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)

Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris waves goodbye walking to her plane to depart Orlando International Airport, Monday, October 19, 2020, after delivering remarks at an early-voting event at the Central Florida Fairgrounds. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)

Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris delivers remarks during an early-voting event at the Central Florida Fairgrounds, Monday, October 19, 2020. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)

Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris responds to cheering supporters as she takes the stage for an early-voting event at the Central Florida Fairgrounds in Orlando, Monday, October 19, 2020. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)

Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris responds to cheering supporters as she takes the stage for an early-voting event at the Central Florida Fairground, Monday, October 19, 2020. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)

Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris delivers remarks during an early-voting event at the Central Florida Fairground, Monday, October 19, 2020. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)

Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris responds to cheering supporters as she takes the stage for an early-voting event at the Central Florida Fairground, Monday, October 19, 2020.(Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)

Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris delivers remarks during an early-voting event at the Central Florida Fairgrounds, in Orlando, Fla., Monday, October 19, 2020. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)