Harris is leaning on big names like Obama, Beyoncé and Springsteen to close out her campaign

CLARKSTON, Ga. (AP) — Kamala Harris is enlisting some of her most high-profile surrogates in the closing days of the campaign, with Bruce Springsteen lending his star power to deliver a musical warmup for the vice president's speech Thursday night in Georgia.

Alongside Springsteen, an iconic performer whose career spans five decades, Harris was headlining the event outside Atlanta with former President Barack Obama, still one of the biggest names in Democratic politics.

After a performance of “The Promised Land," a ballad off his 1978 album “Darkness on the Edge of Town,” Springsteen told the Georgia audience he was backing Harris because he wants “a president who reveres the constitution.”

“There is only one candidate in this election who holds those principles dear, Kamala Harris. She’s running to be the 47th president of the United States. Donald Trump is running to be an American tyrant," Springsteen added before playing "Land of Hope and Dreams” and “Dancing in the Dark.”

Harris' rally in Clarkston — an eastern Atlanta suburb — is at a high school football stadium where the audience reflected the suburb’s reputation as the “most diverse square mile in America.” The community has taken in waves of immigrants and refugees, and 40% of its population was foreign-born in 2020.

The DJ working the crowd before the event started called out not only to graduates of historically Black colleges and universities, but to West Indians. Among those in the snaking line to enter were people of Asian descent and women in hijabs.

Many attendees said they were trying to push their relatives and neighbors to the polls to vote for Harris, either through formal volunteer efforts or on their own. “I decided to go volunteer because I couldn’t keep my mouth shut,” said Beverly Payne, who lives in Cumming, a Republican suburban stronghold north of Atlanta.

Payne said she is still working on persuading her mother but has already swung one Georgia vote to Harris. “My 85-year-old father has gone Democratic for the first time in his life,” she said.

Actor Samuel L. Jackson and director Spike Lee also spoke at the start of the event.

“No matter what kind of shenanigans, skullduggery and subterfuge, the okie-doke, we’re not going back,” Lee proclaimed.

On Friday, Harris travels to Texas for a Houston rally with Beyoncé, according to three people familiar with the matter. The singer is a Houston native, and her 2016 song “Freedom” has become Harris’ campaign anthem.

While the Friday rally is in a red state that even the most optimistic Democrat knows the vice president is unlikely to turn blue in November, the event Thursday in Georgia highlights that state's prominent place in her possible path to defeating former President Donald Trump.

Democrats, led by then-former Vice President Joe Biden and Harris, won Georgia in 2020, becoming the first Democratic presidential campaign to win the Southern state since Bill Clinton in 1992. Harris’ campaign is hopeful she can keep the state blue in 2024.

Polls of likely voters in Georgia from NYT/Siena to Fox News to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution show a tight race between Trump and Harris.

Thursday's event is the first in the campaign’s “When We Vote We Win” concert series that aims to encourage Harris supporters to vote before Election Day.

Harris said she's "very honored” to have Obama’s support, and called Springsteen an “American icon.” Actor and filmmaker Tyler Perry and DJ Mix Master David will also headline the event.

Harris is not the only member of the Democratic campaign to lean on star power in the final days. Gov. Tim Walz, her running mate, has events in North Carolina on Thursday alongside singer-songwriter James Taylor.

Democrats are known for leaning on high-profile surrogates in the final days of presidential races.

Springsteen has long been a supporter of Democratic presidential campaigns. The artist backed Obama in 2008 and 2012, even endorsing the would-be president in the contentious 2008 Democratic primary. He backed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016, performing at a Philadelphia rally on the eve of Election Day, and endorsed Biden in 2020. The New Jersey artist endorsed Harris earlier this month, calling Trump the "most dangerous candidate for president in my lifetime.”

Beyoncé, too, backed Clinton in 2016, performing at an event in Cleveland alongside husband and rapper Jay Z just days before Election Day that year. And Taylor has become a staple at Democratic events and fundraisers.

But Clinton’s loss to Trump in 2016, despite the considerable star power behind her, serves as a warning for Democrats that energy provided by big-name artists like Springsteen and Beyoncé is often not enough to win an election.

Harris campaign advisers, though, see events like those in Georgia and Texas as major moments to mobilize voter enthusiasm and get out the vote before Election Day.

According to the Associated Press count, 2,025,645 people in Georgia have already voted early in-person, while an additional 134,336 mail-in ballots have been submitted in the 2024 general election.

Merica reported from Washington. Jeff Amy contributed to this report from Clarkston.

Spike Lee holds signs while on stage at a campaign rally supporting Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Clarkston, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Bruce Springsteen performs at a campaign rally supporting Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Clarkston, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Spike Lee holds signs while on stage at a campaign rally supporting Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Clarkston, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Samuel L. Jackson speaks at a campaign rally supporting Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Clarkston, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Spike Lee speaks at a campaign rally supporting Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Clarkston, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to reporters in Philadelphia, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to reporters in Philadelphia, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Former President Barack Obama speaks at a campaign rally supporting Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris Vice waves as she boards Air Force Two at Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, en route to Atlanta. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — South Florida coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, who led the Bulls to the American Athletic Conference's regular-season championship a year ago, has died, the school announced Thursday. He was 43.

The school said he died from complications that presented while he was undergoing a procedure at a Tampa-area hospital.

“He was authentic, driven, and his infectious personality captivated all of Bulls Nation," USF athletic director Michael Kelly said. "Coach Abdur-Rahim leaves a lasting impact on our student-athletes, the university and the community. We are supporting those closest to him, including his family, team and athletics staff, to ensure they have the resources they need to deal with this tremendous loss.”

Abdur-Rahim was a rising star in the coaching world. He went 19-65 in his first three seasons at Kennesaw State but enjoyed great success over the next two seasons. His 2022-23 team at Kennesaw State went 26-9 and made the NCAA Tournament, earning him the shot to coach at USF.

He was an immediate success with the Bulls. USF went 25-8 last season, won the AAC regular-season title and won a game in the NIT. Abdur-Rahim was the unanimous pick as the AAC's coach of the year.

“Throughout my time working with coach Abdur-Rahim, I was continually inspired by his leadership, and truly admired his sincere approach to connecting with our entire student body,” USF President Rhea Law said. “His influence on our student-athletes, coaching staff and the university community will live on forever.”

This season’s USF team was picked third in the AAC preseason poll. It is scheduled to play an exhibition game on Oct. 30 against Edward Waters, then opens the season against No. 21 Florida in Jacksonville on Nov. 4.

“This is truly a terrible tragedy,” George Washington coach Chris Caputo posted on social media. “Amir was a good man and an excellent coach. Please pray for him and his family.”

Abdur-Rahim and his wife had three children, USF said. Abdur-Rahim had 12 brothers and sisters; one of his brothers is G League president and former NBA player Shareef Abdur-Rahim.

“I am devastated by the sudden passing of my good friend Amir Abdur-Rahim, an outstanding man, husband, father and leader who brought tremendous positive energy to all he encountered,” USF football coach Alex Golesh said. “My heart breaks for his wife, Arianne, his three children, extended family and many friends.”

AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds contributed to this report.

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

FILE - South Florida head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim looks on during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Charlotte, March 2, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley, File)