Janice R. Andrews
August 4, 2024 — Republicans are becoming increasingly uneasy after Donald Trump’s recent remarks about Vice President Kamala Harris’ Black identity and his running partner JD Vance’s gaffes. In reaction to criticism of Vance’s comments on childless women, the Trump team is refocusing on topics that appeal to the Republican base, such border security.
With fewer than 100 days until Election Day, Republican friends outside of the Trump campaign are attempting to minimize their 2024 presidential nominee’s latest remarks regarding his Democratic opponent and her race. There is genuine disquiet in the party notwithstanding these attempts.
Vermont GOP Chairman Paul Dame told USA TODAY, “I think we’re starting to see the old Trump that a lot of Republicans got tired of in 2020, got tired of defending him.” “I believe he will lose some of that supple centrist support if the next three months are characterized by more instances like this.”
Divisive Remarks from Vance and Trump
During a gathering with Black journalists earlier this week, Trump made incorrect claims about Harris, claiming that she was “Indian all the way” before she “became a Black person.” Meanwhile, Vance came under fire for remarks he made in a resurrected 2021 interview, referring to the nation as being led by “a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives,” as well as another statement that parents need to have more voting rights than those without children.
During a heated visit on Wednesday at the National Association of Black Journalists’ convention in Chicago, Trump took questions regarding Vance on many occasions. He continuously defended his running mate, saying that Vance is not against childlessness and downplaying the importance of the choice for vice president.
“Historically, the choice of a vice president makes no difference,” Trump stated. “You’re voting for the president.”
Trump Steps Up
When Dame first arrived to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, he was encouraged by what appeared to be a more concentrated Trump campaign. He commended Trump for his performance in the June 27 Atlanta debate, which ultimately resulted in President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the contest. But according to Dame, Trump’s most recent remarks against Harris felt like a major step backward.
Many in the GOP share this opinion, believing that discussions about Harris’s racial identity are overshadowing opportunities to critique the policies of the Biden-Harris administration. Former Vice President Mike Pence’s director of staff Marc Short stated, “We’re debating whether she’s Indian American or African American, rather than focusing on those positions, or on the border crisis, or on inflation.” “I think there was a missed opportunity.”
In response to Trump’s comments this week, prominent Republicans in Washington emphasized the importance of focusing on Harris’ record rather than her race. The senator from Wyoming, Cynthia Lummis, remarked, “Oh well, you know, he’s not serious.” He enjoys provoking you. He is not someone you should take seriously when he is discussing such matters.
Additionally, Texas senator John Cornyn (R) said, “I wish we’d talk more about her failed policies.” She has adopted the most radical stances imaginable and is the owner of all the failed initiatives of the Biden-Harris administration.
With his harsh criticism of Harris, Trump could have been attempting to reclaim the limelight, but GOP strategist Alex Conant—who worked on Marco Rubio’s 2016 presidential campaign—says it might backfire. “There’s a risk that he will remind voters of the things that made him unpopular in 2020 and the reason he isn’t the president today.”
Is Vance Another Dan Quayle or Sarah Palin?
Even though all sides of this argument acknowledge that Vance had a poor debut, supporters and detractors of the senator told USA TODAY they don’t anticipate Trump to fire their running mate. The Trump team claims that Vance is doing well and that the media and ardent Democrats are to blame for his problems.
According to Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung, “President Trump is thrilled with the choice he made with Senator Vance to be his running mate, and they are the perfect team to take back the White House.”
Strong Trump supporter and Republican U.S. Representative from Florida Greg Steube stated he hasn’t heard any worries about Vance from anybody close to the outgoing president. Just two days after escaping an attempted murder, in mid-July, Trump announced Vance as his choice for vice president during the RNC’s opening ceremony. Following months of consideration, the selection was made, and it meant that Trump had defeated a number of more seasoned contenders who were thought to be more mainstream GOP choices.
Vance, a freshman senator who was first elected to the Senate in 2022, turned 40 on Friday. Out of all the vice presidential candidates, he most closely resembles Trump’s version of populist conservatism and has garnered substantial backing among hard-right, fiercely MAGA members of the GOP who see him as a defender of their beliefs.
Republicans believe that Trump should have selected a candidate with a wider appeal, despite the fact that Vance’s choice was perceived as him voting with his heart. “I thought this wasn’t the best choice when he was announced,” Dame said. “And it appears to be demonstrating that Vance is not adding passengers to the ticket,”
Dame proposed that Trump could have been able to win over “more traditional Republican voters, maybe some more of the Nikki Haley people” with the support of potential vice presidential candidates like Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. Vance won’t help Trump balance the ticket and win over new voters, according to some of his earlier remarks.
Clearing the Deck for a Sprinting Partner
Nobody running for president wants to be in the position of clearing the decks for a running mate. Political analysts compared Vance’s most recent gaffes to those of earlier unconventional vice presidential candidates who faltered once they came into the public eye, notably Sarah Palin in 2008 and Dan Quayle in 1988. Now, Harris is riding a surge of media attention and campaign momentum following months when the Trump campaign had the lead. According to polls, the election is becoming more competitive, and Republicans are hoping that their choice for vice president would help things change.
Republican advisor close to the Trump campaign claimed that during Vance’s initial days of launch, Democrats sent their strongest opposition research against him, but he overcame it and has improved over the last week, citing his most recent trip to the border between the United States and Mexico as evidence.
The Republican strategist stated, “There’s a lot of room for improvement; nobody thinks what happened is awesome.” “Do you want to see if he’s improving? And I believe that he is improving.
In response, Vance shot out against his opponents, claiming that Democrats had labeled him as “weird” during a rally in Atlanta. Trump’s running mate stated, “We can handle the made-up attacks by Democrats and by the media because we’re used to it by now.”
Republicans are attempting to resolve these concerns and redirect their attention to topics that are important to voters as the campaign progresses. Election Day is fewer than 100 days away, so there is pressure to put up a united front and restore momentum.
