Janice R. Andrews
Senator JD Vance of Ohio is in the middle of a controversy when tape from a recent fundraiser surfaced, revealing his open statements regarding Kamala Harris’s announcement that she will be entering the presidential run. The 39-year-old Vance, who was selected as former President Donald Trump’s running mate, acknowledged that Harris’s campaign was a “sucker punch” for the Republican ticket. According to The Washington Post, Vance made these remarks on July 27 at a Minnesota luncheon for contributors.
We were all somewhat taken aback by a political one-two blow. Vance highlighted the difficulties Harris poses in comparison to President Joe Biden, saying, “The bad news is that Kamala Harris does not have the same baggage as Joe Biden because, whatever we might have to say, Kamala is a lot younger.” “And it’s clear that Kamala Harris is not having the same difficulties as Joe Biden.”
Surveys Show Harris’s Increasing Popularity
This information is related to a recent survey conducted by the nonprofit Angus Reid Institute, which puts Harris ahead of the GOP nominee by two points. According to an ABC News/Ipsos survey, Americans’ favorability rating of Harris increased sharply from 35 percent prior to Biden’s withdrawal to 43 percent in late July.
Despite these candidacies, Vance has publicly remained optimistic, claiming that Republicans’ political calculation remains unchanged despite Harris’s entry into the race in the wake of President Joe Biden’s surprising decision not to run. Vance’s campaign has attacked Harris’s positions on fracking, police budget, and border control.
Harris’s Youthful and Diverse Support Group
“Let’s be honest, ten days ago, everyone had an opinion about the two candidates who were running for president. That means we have a very unique opportunity, but we also have a very unique challenge,” Vance told supporters. “After eight years, everyone has an opinion about Donald Trump and Joe Biden, whether they love them or not, but people don’t really know about Kamala Harris.”
According to the Angus Reid survey, a broad and young voting base strongly favors Harris. Interestingly, Harris is preferred by 56% of non-white voters vs 25% for Trump. Of the younger voting base, fifty percent of prospective Harris voters are under thirty-five, compared to thirty-two percent of Trump’s followers. Voters between the ages of 35 and 54 are split between the two contenders. Trump continues to lead among older voters (49 to 40 percent) and white voters (51 to 37 percent).
The Vance Campaign Reacts ###
A Vance representative responded to The Washington Post’s piece by calling Harris “weak” and “failed” and endorsing a “dangerously liberal agenda.” Will Martin stated, “Her far-left ideas are even more radioactive than Joe Biden, especially in the crucial swing states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin that will decide this election.”
Harris’s Success with Fundraising
Since Harris emerged as the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, her campaign has also disclosed remarkable fundraising totals, having raised $200 million. 66 percent of the significant sum, which was revealed on Sunday, came from first-time contributors for the 2024 election season, mostly in response to Biden’s decision to withdraw from the race. In order to help Harris’ campaign with phone banking, canvassing, and other get-out-the-vote initiatives, over 170,000 volunteers have signed up. There are barely 100 days till election day.
Harris’s Run for Office
The campaign’s director of communications, Michael Tyler, wrote in a letter, “The momentum and energy for Vice President Harris are real — and so are the fundamentals of this race: this election will be very close and decided by a small number of voters in just a few states.”
Over the course of the weekend, Harris’ team coordinated over 2,300 events in battleground states, including prominent Democrats who are reportedly in the race for vice president. On Saturday, Harris conducted her own campaign in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, where she attracted hundreds of people to a fundraiser that was first planned when Biden was still anticipated to run. The campaign estimated that this event would raise $400,000, but in the end, it raised about $1.4 million.
Support for Harris at the Local Level
Mandy Robbins, a 45-year-old Decatur, Georgia resident, heard Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, who may be Harris’s running mate, at one of these organizing events on Sunday in the northern suburbs of Atlanta. Robbins stated, “I think Biden did a great job in the White House, but if he had remained in the race, I wouldn’t have been nearly this excited.” “I’m feeling positive at last. Harris can help us win this.
Both camps are preparing for a hard fight in the months before the election as the race heats up, with crucial swing states probably having a major impact on who becomes the next president of the United States.
