GOP strategist: Tone-deaf attacks on Harris won’t get Republicans what they need | Opinion

Kamala Harris’s ascension from obscure vice president to Democratic standard-bearer seems to set the stage for an easy Donald Trump victory in November. After all, Harris is a failed “border czar” who laughs at inopportune moments, and President Biden’s late exit from the race plunged Democrats into chaos as they retool their campaign and play catch-up.

Do not underestimate Kamala Harris and the power of the Democrat machine. Where Republicans might see chaos, Democrats see a unique opportunity to reshape the political map, repackage Harris and stop Trump’s momentum.

In less than a week, Biden went from a feeble old man to a modern-day politcal hero willing to sacrifice his personal ambitions to preserve the republic. When the nearly 29 million people tuned in to watch Biden’s July 24 Oval Office address, they witnessed a campaign reset and a retelling of the Biden-Harris record.

Even today, Harris dominates the news cycle with Trump relegated to somewhat of a footnote.

Nonstop speculation about Harris’ vice presidential choice will only be matched by the wall-to-wall coverage and endless analysis that Americans will see after she makes her pick. By the time we get to the Democratic convention in Chicago on Aug. 19, Harris will have four solid weeks extolling the virtues of her time as vice president and her vision for America.

This is a brand-new race and momentum will be on the Democrats’ side. If I didn’t oppose everything Harris believes, I would marvel at the ease with which the Democrats are successfully pulling off the nominee switch and upending the race for president.

It’s easy to think the Democrats’ momentum won’t matter — after all, many in middle America will never vote for a San Francisco liberal. In fact, many in middle America would never vote for any Democrat. But they are not the voters the left is trying to persuade.

What matters, and the questions we should be asking about Harris, is will voters in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin — states that rejected Trump in 2020 — vote for her? Will she appeal to suburban women? Will she appeal to Black and Hispanic voters?

For Trump to win, he must convince voters in those states that they made a mistake in 2020. Trump must convince Black and Hispanic voters in Detroit, Milwaukee and Philadelphia that they should not vote for a woman of color. Trump must convince suburban women, that despite all their misgivings, they should choose him over Harris.

Trump can make that case.

Sadly, Republicans are not off to a good start. When Harris stepped into the spotlight, some members of Congress called her a “DEI hire.” Others thought it was appropriate to sully her for her previous relationship with then-separated former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown — a tone-deaf attack given the allegations against Trump.

I feel like this should be obvious, but making fun of and disparaging women who are in leadership positions does not convince women to vote Republican. We will not win elections when we insinuate that a woman or a person of color advances because of some reason other than merit. Nothing will push voters back into the arms of the Democrats faster.

We had so much momentum coming off the Republican National Convention. The issues are on our side. Republicans should be talking about crime that is plaguing some of our cities, the high prices for gas and groceries that are ruining family budgets, jobs at risk due to Biden-Harris policies, and the high interest rates that are preventing people from buying a home and realizing their American dream.

These are the issues that have given Republicans a historic opportunity to bring in new voters — many of whom have felt ignored and taken for granted. Don’t screw it up with stupid attacks.

This story was originally published July 30, 2024 at 9:10 AM.