Vice President Kamala Harris is gearing up for her inaugural rally alongside a yet-to-be-named running mate, as her presidential campaign takes aim at former President Donald Trump’s immigration narrative.
Following President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the race on July 21, Harris has emerged as the presumptive Democratic nominee. She is scheduled to host a rally in Philadelphia on August 6, where she will be accompanied by her vice presidential selection, which is expected to be revealed prior to the event, according to a report from Politico citing sources within the Harris campaign.
While an aide from Harris’s team advised against overinterpreting this initial tour stop, choosing Philadelphia certainly fuels speculation regarding Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro as a potential candidate for the vice presidency. Other names being considered include Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
ELIJAH NOUVELAGE/AFP
The upcoming campaign itinerary for Vice President Harris and her running mate has been confirmed by the campaign via email to Newsweek. Over four days of campaigning in key battleground states, they will visit:
- Philadelphia
- Western Wisconsin
- Detroit
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- Savannah, Georgia
- Phoenix
- Las Vegas
Diving into immigration issues during a recent solo appearance in Atlanta on Tuesday, Harris criticized Trump for allegedly obstructing bipartisan efforts aimed at enhancing border security legislation this year for his own political advantage.
“Our administration has been instrumental in crafting one of the most significant border security measures we’ve seen in decades,” stated Harris. “This initiative garnered support even from some of Washington’s most conservative Republicans and received backing from Border Patrol agents. It was poised for passage until Trump intervened at the last moment and instructed his allies in Congress to derail it.”
“He sabotaged this bipartisan agreement because he believed it would benefit his electoral prospects,” she added. “This clearly illustrates that Donald Trump prioritizes his own interests over genuine border security.”
The day after Trump’s team released an advertisement accusing her of permitting millions of migrants to cross illegally into the U.S., the Harris campaign responded with its own immigration-focused ad. The ad labeled Biden’s administration as having failed under what critics call her role as ‘Border Czar,’ assigned by Biden when he tasked her with addressing root causes behind illegal migration back in early 2021.
The advertisement released by Trump’s camp claims that under what they describe as “failed leadership,” more than ten million illegal crossings occurred annually while also attributing over250 thousand American deaths due to fentanyl overdoses during her tenure.
Citing official data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection reveals encounters totaling approximately1.9 million ,2 .7 million ,and3 .2 million across fiscal years2021 ,2022 ,and2023 respectively; however recent weeks have shown more than50 percent decreasein border crossings following an executive order signed by Biden last month aimed at curbing such entries. p >
< p > As discussions surrounding immigration are likely to dominate political discourse leading up until Election Day,Harris’ role should be viewed within context;she was not specifically charged with resolving these issuesbyBiden,andthe vice presidency holds limited statutory powers primarily focusedon casting tie-breaking votesinSenateandcountingElectoralCollegevotesafterpresidential elections.
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