VP Harris launches Fortnite map as campaign attempts to reach young adult vote

Vice President Kamala Harris has released a Fortnite map in an effort to reach young, tech-savvy voters.
The new Fortnite map released on Monday is titled Freedom Town USA. Freedom has been a central theme of Harris’ pitch to voters.
The map includes Harris, her husband Douglas Emhoff, running mate Tim Walz, former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama. The trailer for the game is also set to Megan Thee Stallion’s song “Neva Play.”
The Fortnite map is only part of Harris’ strategy to go after gamers.
Last week, Walz participated in a live Twitch with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The two were competing against each other during a game of Madden NFL.
Walz admitted he hadn’t played Madden in years, despite his son Gus playing it regularly. Ocasio-Cortez said she hadn’t played the game until last week. They then took each other on in Crazy Taxi.
Ocasio-Cortez also used Twitch to show off her Stardew Valley farm.
The Harris campaign is hoping for a large turnout of young voters. Even though Harris and her opponent former President Donald Trump are essentially tied in national polls, Harris is holding a 60-32 lead among likely voters under age 30, according to a poll conducted by the
The same poll showed her lead was a bit narrower among youth voters in swing states. She held a 50-41 lead among registered voters under age 30 in seven battlegrounds.
Turnout among young voters, however, has generally lagged behind the rest of the population. In 2016, only about one-in-four eligible voters ages 18-29 voted. That’s compared to about three out of four people over age 65. Young voters did a better job showing up in 2020 when about 36% of people ages 18-29 voted,
Their improved turnout was a major key in Joe Biden’s win in 2020.