The House Republican campaign arm is strategizing a focused plan to highlight specific aspects of Vice President Kamala Harris' record in an effort to sway competitive House races away from Democrats as Harris moves closer to securing the Democratic nomination.
Even though Harris has not officially clinched the Democratic presidential nomination, the GOP campaign arm is already shaping its attacks on down-ballot Democrats to align with their goal of retaining control of the House. The evolving plan aims to link Harris to what Republicans perceive as failed policies of the Biden administration, while also revisiting some of her stances from her 2019 presidential campaign.
Republican Representative Tony Gonzales of Texas emphasized the interconnectedness of Harris and Biden, stating, “His failures are her failures.”
In pivotal swing districts in Arizona and New Mexico, the GOP campaign arm intends to emphasize Harris' initiatives to address the root causes of migration from Central America. Republicans are keen on making border crossings and mass migrations a central campaign issue, often referring to Harris as the “border czar.” GOP strategists anticipate a heightened effort to associate down-ballot Democrats with this label.
Republican Representative Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota highlighted the challenge for Harris in distancing herself from these issues, stating, “The unique problem with picking her is she can’t run away from any of that.”
While the White House has rejected the “border czar” designation, asserting that Harris' focus is on long-term solutions, Senate Republicans recently blocked a significant bipartisan border deal and foreign aid package in February. The bill included provisions for Ukraine and Israel but faced opposition from former President Donald Trump and prominent House Republicans.
