July 24, 2024
GOP’s New Strategy for Presidential Bid: Focus On Kamala Harris’ Record, Not Race
GOP leaders are urging fellow Republicans to stop referring to Harris as a 'DEI pick.'
Now that President Joe Biden has backed down from his reelection bid and given his endorsement to Vice President Kamala Harris, GOP leaders are urging a new approach to the presidential race.
Politico reports that during a closed-door meeting held by GOP leaders, Richard Hudson (R-NC), chair of the House GOP campaign arm, warned fellow Republican Party members to stop focusing on Harris’ race but focus on the history of the work she’s done alongside Biden.
After some Republicans referred to Harris as a “DEI pick,” GOP leaders like Hudson requested that the narrative change to focus on bigger picture issues they’ve pointed out, like Harris’ decision to skip Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech before Congress as well as her take on current border laws.
“This should not be about personalities,” said Speaker Mike Johnson told Politico. “This has nothing to do with race. It has to do with the competence of the person running for president, the relative strength of the two candidates, and what ideas they have on how to solve America’s problems. And I think in that comparison, we’ll win in a landslide.”
If selected as the Democratic nominee, Harris will become the first Black and South Asian woman to become a major party nominee. House Republicans, who spoke anonymously, called out fellow party members for their comments around Harris’ race and are asking them to immediately halt that chatter.
“We have everything going our way, and you just can’t handle that?” an anonymous Republican Party member said. “We’ll give you a cheat sheet if you don’t know what else to talk about.” Since Biden stepped aside on July 21, everything from Harris’ dating history to her ethnicity and background have been under intense scrutiny—and she has yet to be announced as the Democrat’s nominee ahead of the 2024 Presidential Election.
Harris has, however, been endorsed by Biden and has since received support from public figures like Beyoncé and former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic nominee for President.
While many prominent Democrats have yet to pledge their support for Harris in the upcoming election, it is essential to note that less than 24 hours after Biden’s exit from the race was announced, Harris’ nascent campaign fundraised a record-breaking $81 million.
The Democratic nominee will formally be announced during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago from August 19 to August 22.
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