Liberty County was in the presidential campaign spotlight briefly Wednesday.

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democrat nominee for the presidency, and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, stopped at Liberty County High School on Wednesday afternoon to greet supporters. The Harris-Walz campaign is taking a bus tour through south Georgia and is scheduled to have an event today in Savannah.

Local media were not granted access to the Harris-Walz campaign stop in Liberty County on Wednesday.

LCHS Principal Dr. Warnella Wilder and Liberty County Schools Superintendent Dr. Franklin Perry greeted Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz on their arrival at the school. The Democrat nominees listened to the LCHS marching band’s rehearsal and spoke briefly to students and faculty, according to press pool reports. State Rep. Al Williams (D-Midway) and U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams (D-Atlanta) also were in attendance.

“We wanted to come by just to let you know that our country is counting on you,” Harris said. “All of you. You are leaders, by the very fact that you are here in this room. Your generation, all that you guys stand for … is what is going to propel our country into the next era of what we can do and what we can be.”

According to press pool reports, Harris told the LCHS band members she was in her high school band.

“All that practice makes for beautiful music,” she said. “And that is a metaphor for everything that you will do in your lives.”

A handful of supporters watched and waited across the highway from the school to see the buses pull in and leave a short time later.

“I would definitely thank her for supporting women’s rights,” said Meredith Woods.

Woods, with her son Arlo, who is 4 years old, said women’s rights, education and health care were her main concerns as a voter.

“Pretty much everything for the future generation,” she said.

Traffic was stopped for a mile in either direction along Highway 84 from the school. Harris and Walz’s buses pulled in to the LCHS campus just after 5 p.m., and left about 30 minutes later.

Traffic along Highway 84 was held up until the candidates left, leaving a two-mile backlog of traffic along Highway 84 in Hinesville.

Early voting in the 2024 general election begins October 15, with Saturday voting being held October 19 and 26. Early voting concludes November 1.

Polls at precincts will be open November 5 from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. for the general election.