With about 100 days until Election Day and less than two months before voting begins in some states, Donald Trump, 78, is running out of time to define a Democratic opponent who emerged just days ago.
His campaign is quickly changing its strategy, moving away from criticizing former opponent Joe Biden as weak and testing new attack lines on Kamala Harris, who is two decades younger than Trump.
In various appearances and on social media, Trump has criticized Harris, 59, calling her the “worst border person in history,” “dumb as a rock,” and a “weak prosecutor” who “destroyed the city of San Francisco.”
He has mocked her laugh and given her nicknames like “Laffin’ Kamala” and “Lyin’ Kamala.” His allies have suggested Harris is a “diversity, equity, and inclusion” hire, implying she became vice president because she is a woman of color.
Harris has responded by emphasizing her experience as a prosecutor, saying she knows “Trump’s type,” referring to his legal troubles.
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Trump’s numerous complaints about Harris risk alienating key voter groups he needs, such as suburban women, young adults, and Black and Hispanic people. Attacks that seem racist or sexist could hurt the unity message the Republicans aim to project.
“The risk of the Republican messaging is that it could backfire and be perceived as unfair and sexist,” said Alan Abramowitz, a political science professor emeritus at Emory University.
The intense focus on Harris shows how her emergence as the likely Democratic nominee has changed the 2024 presidential race. For months, the Trump campaign had prepared to run against Biden by questioning his age and record on immigration and the economy.
Now, in late July, the switch-up has caught the Trump campaign off-guard, forcing it to rework their messaging. Top House Republicans, including Speaker Mike Johnson, have warned fellow party members to avoid attacks based on race or gender, acknowledging the political risks.
“This election will be about policies and not personalities,” Johnson said.
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Trump has a history of attacking politicians of color over their backgrounds. He falsely claimed President Barack Obama was a Muslim not born in the US. He also questioned whether Republican primary rival Nikki Haley was eligible to serve as president because she’s the daughter of immigrants.
Despite the change in focus, Trump campaign senior adviser Brian Hughes said the contest’s fundamentals remain the same. “Joe Biden acted like a California liberal,” he said. “Kamala Harris is a California liberal.”
In addition to focusing on an anti-Harris message, the Trump campaign must also consider who Harris picks as her running mate. The electoral map could change with Harris at the top of the ticket.
Georgia, for example, is now in play for the Democrats as Black voters there express enthusiasm for the vice president. Biden won the state in 2020, but it had been a Republican stronghold for decades.
Potential running mates for Harris include North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, and Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, who could help pull in more support from their home states, all battlegrounds this November.
“With Vice President Harris as the top of the ticket now, we have an easier time making the argument that this election is about the future,” said Nick Ahamed, deputy executive director at Priorities USA, a group supporting Democrats.
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A new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll shows Harris and Trump statistically tied but indicates Harris could gain new support. One in five independent voters said they were undecided, compared to 4% before Biden dropped out. Black voters said they were more likely to vote with the president no longer running.
This could change the approach for both campaigns as they try to win over crucial swing-state voters. The Trump campaign had planned to build a winning coalition by appealing to its Republican base and expanding support among Black men and Hispanic communities, hoping for low Democratic turnout due to a lack of enthusiasm for Biden.
Those objectives may now be harder to achieve. In a new campaign memo, Harris campaign chair Jennifer O’Malley Dillon wrote that 7% of all voters remain undecided and could be persuaded to support Harris.
“These voters are disproportionately Black, Latino, and under 30. They are more likely to have supported the Biden-Harris ticket in 2020 and are two times more likely to be Democrats than Republicans,” she wrote. “We have a clear issue and character advantage.”