Trump and his Biden allies are stepping up attacks on Harris, seeking to portray her as more left-wing than Biden and to blame the vice president for the border crisis. They are also introducing new messages accusing her of covering up Biden’s health.
Asset — who has previously mocked Harris’ first name and spread false allegations that Harris, born in California, was an outsider ineligible for elected office — Harris is personally excited to run against her, a person familiar with his comments said. He released a video Wednesday calling her “pathetic” and “so bad.” The campaign points to polls showing Harris running similarly to Biden against Trump, perhaps weaker with white men without college degrees who could be key to winning key Midwestern states.
“I think the Democrats are going to end up with working-class people from Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan, with Kamala Harris,” said Jason Miller, a senior Trump adviser who on Friday released years-old clips in which Harris says she would ban plastic straws and recommends people donate to a bail fund that helps some people charged with violent crimes. “She’s seen as a California radical.”
Still, some advisers and allies acknowledged that Harris, 59, could be a game-changer as a more vigorous campaigner who can energize younger voters and women. They also said her ability to choose a new running mate could further alter the dynamics of the showdown, particularly if she adds a Midwestern governor like Josh Shapiro (D-Pa.) or Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.) to her ticket.
“The political debate doesn’t change, it’s the candidate’s abilities that change — all the issues about Biden’s physical and mental decline go away,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a close Trump ally. “If she picks a governor from Pennsylvania or Michigan, that’s a game changer.”
The White House and Biden’s campaign have dismissed questions about Biden’s health and pressure to step down, but private advisers acknowledged they have limited time to reassure his panicked party. Harris’ spokeswoman Rhyan Lake said: “Vice President Harris is proud to be President Biden’s running mate. Regardless of the false attacks from Trump and his extremist allies, she will continue to defend the Biden-Harris record and pursue the case against Donald Trump.”
Democrats have argued that Harris, as a former prosecutor, could be an effective messenger against Trump, who was convicted in May of 34 felonies. They also said she has shown leadership on abortion rights, an issue that has propelled Democratic victories in recent elections.
Donna Brazile, a former acting chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, said Harris has withstood years of vicious attacks from Republicans. She noted that Trump has also insulted other black women, such as New York Attorney General Letitia James and Fulton County, Georgia, District Attorney Fani T. Willis, and she warned that Trump’s rant against the first woman and first black vice president could backfire.
“They’ve thrown paint, rocks, mud and just about every other metaphor I can think of since the day he was inaugurated… I want to say, where have you been?” Brazile asked. “This is not the time for their team to start attacking a woman,” she added of Trump, referring to his conviction for paying money to silence an adult film actress and the jury’s decision to find him liable for sexual abuse.
In 2020, Trump spread a baseless conspiracy theory falsely suggesting that Harris might be ineligible to run for president, echoing his false claims about President Barack Obama’s citizenship. Harris’ parents immigrated from India and Jamaica, and she was born in Oakland, California. Trump also pretended to mispronounce Harris’ name.
On Thursday, Trump launched a new nickname for Harris, “Laffin’ Harris,” to mock her laugh. The campaign also ran an ad mocking Harris’s laugh, and a statement from his top advisers released Tuesday called her Biden’s “giggling co-pilot.”
Trump’s team is repeating its longstanding criticism of Harris, which focuses on her 2021 nomination to lead the administration’s response to a surge in border crossings between the U.S. and Mexico. The MAGA Inc. super PAC on Wednesday dubbed Harris the “invasion czar,” referring to Biden’s nomination of Harris to oversee his administration’s handling of the surge in border migration. Trump has described the surge in attempted crossings as an “invasion,” using unsubstantiated allegations and inflammatory language to dehumanize and vilify migrants.
“Kamala Harris is the least sympathetic and most chaotic face of the Biden-Harris regime,” said PAC CEO Taylor Budowich. “She would not only expand the presidential race map, but would be the nail in the coffin for Democrats’ hopes of retaining the Senate and winning back the House.”
Some close to Trump have expressed concern that Harris might take a different approach to Israel’s war in Gaza, creating a damaging rift in the Democratic coalition.
While Harris’ nomination would help allay voter concerns about Biden’s ability to last four more years, Republicans have indicated they will keep the issue alive by accusing Harris and other Democrats of hiding his health and misleading the public. They will also argue that if Biden decides he is unfit to run and cedes the seat to Harris, he should also immediately resign as president.
On Thursday, former Trump White House adviser Stephen Miller called on Harris to testify before Congress about her knowledge of Biden’s health. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Tex.) told Fox News Friday that Harris should be subpoenaed and could be impeached for “lying to the American people” about Biden’s mental state and for failing to invoke the 25th Amendment, which provides for a transfer of power in the event the president is unable to perform his duties.
“No one played a more central role in the cover-up than Kamala Harris,” the Republican National Committee said in an email Friday, citing 16 times Harris vouched for Biden’s fitness.
