Vice President Kamala Harris will not attend next month’s Al Smith charity dinner in New York City, her campaign has told organizers, opting instead to stump in a battleground state on October 17, less than three weeks before the election.

Presidential candidates from both parties have traditionally appeared on the same night at the dinner benefitting Catholic Charities​.

Vice President Kamala Harris will skip this year’s Al Smith charity dinner in New York. Harris is breaking with tradition so she can campaign instead in a battleground state less than three weeks before Election Day.

Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign reportedly confirmed Harris will not attend the Al Smith dinner, which has been a campaign tradition for decades.

Kamala Harris will skip the Al Smith charity dinner in New York, breaking a 60-year tradition of presidential candidates gathering for humor and camaraderie. Her absence is due to a focus on battleground states ahead of the November 5 election.