'It could backfire': Strategists warn Trump’s attacks on Harris will cost critical votes
Now that Democrats have a new presumptive nominee with approximately 100 days to go before the election, former President Donald Trump's campaign is scrambling to define her. And so far, his attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris haven't landed.
Bloomberg recently reported that the Trump campaign's characterizations of Harris are not only failing to resonate with voters, but could actually end up costing him votes from crucial demographics he'll need in order to win. So far, Trump has tested some of his signature nicknames for the vice president, like "Laffin' Kamala" and "Lyin' Kamala." The publication noted that some Republicans have dismissed the first Black and Asian female vice president as a "DEI hire," referring to diversity, equity and inclusion programming aimed at diversifying workplaces.
"The risk of the Republican messaging is that it could backfire and be perceived as unfair and sexist," Emory University political science professor emeritus Alan Abramowitz told Bloomberg.
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In order to win crucial battleground states like Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, Trump will need to attract suburban women voters, and make inroads with traditional Democratic-leaning constituencies like Black voters and Hispanic voters. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) seems to be aware of this, as he has cautioned House Republicans to not make race or gender-based attacks on Harris.
"This election will be about policies and not personalities," Johnson said.
Johnson's warnings appear to have so far fallen on deaf ears, as multiple GOP lawmakers have leaned into DEI-centric attacks on the vice president. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tennessee) earlier this week suggested that Harris' race made her a mediocre candidate.
""First off he said he’s going to hire a Black female for vice president, and he just skipped over — what about what about white females — what about any other group?" Burchett asked. "When you go down that route, you take mediocrity, and that's what they have right now as vice president.”
READ MORE: 'What about white females?' GOP rep calls Kamala Harris a 'DEI hire'
Abramowitz noted that with Harris at the top of the ticket, Georgia is back in play for Democrats given the new jolt of enthusiasm for the Peach State's high number of Black voters. Previous polls showed Trump comfortably ahead of Biden in Georgia despite Biden winning the state in 2020. Now, with Harris as the presumptive nominee, polls show a neck-and-neck race for the Peach State's 16 electoral votes.
Harris' massive opening fundraising haul of more than $126 million last weekend — combined with 100,000 new volunteers signing up to help the Harris campaign — also gives Democrats an opening to close in on Trump's lead in swing states. The Democratic National Committee has additionally given other potential challengers for the nomination to file their paperwork in the next two days. If no other candidates emerge, Harris will have locked up the nomination with several weeks to go before the party's convention in late August.
Click here to read Bloomberg's report in its entirety (subscription required).
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