Vice President Kamala Harris is attempting to capitalize on her relative youth to portray former President Donald Trump as out of touch with the times. During the recent debate, Harris sought to differentiate herself from both Trump and President Joe Biden, emphasizing her “new generation of leadership” for the country.
“I am not Joe Biden, and I am certainly not Donald Trump,” Harris declared, in a clear bid to distance herself from the policies of her predecessor, which have been criticized by Republicans for contributing to high inflation and a crisis at the southern border. By highlighting her youth, Harris is also trying to turn Trump’s age against him. At 78, Trump is nearly two decades older than Harris, and she is seeking to use this to her advantage in the election.
Harris’s attempt to rebrand herself as a change candidate is a calculated move, given that voters have expressed a desire for something new and different in this election cycle. According to Costas Panagopoulos, a political science professor at Northeastern University, Harris’s generational outlook and sensibilities are a significant departure from both Biden and Trump, and could be a major asset in the election.
However, Republicans are determined to tie Harris to Biden and his record. They have emphasized her role in addressing the root causes of illegal immigration, and are working to portray her as a continuation of the same policies that have been criticized by voters.
Harris is pushing back against this narrative, with a campaign slogan of “not going back” and a forthcoming “New Way Forward” tour through battleground states. She will appear in North Carolina and Pennsylvania this week, seeking to build momentum and differentiate herself from Trump and Biden.
According to Ed Lee, director of Emory University’s Alben W. Barkley Forum for Debate, Deliberation, and Dialogue, Trump’s age is a liability that Harris can exploit. “It is tough being the oldest guy on the block,” Lee said. “Unfortunately for Republicans, Trump loses if he acts his age.”
Trump has attempted to adapt to Harris’s candidacy by shifting his stance on certain policies, including abortion access. However, Republican pollster Ed Goeas doubts that this will be enough to overcome his image problem.
Strategists believe that Harris can use Trump’s age to her advantage, but she is also tapping into the same sort of exhaustion that Biden leveraged during his 2020 campaign. Trump’s age and personality are seen as liabilities, and Harris is seeking to capitalize on these vulnerabilities.
Meanwhile, Republicans like Vance Patrick, chairman of the Oakland Republican Party in Michigan, argue that the election is not about age, but competence. “Kamala Harris has proven to be just as incompetent and ineffective as Joe Biden,” Patrick said. “Kamala hides from the press and hasn’t sat down for a one-on-one interview because her advisers know she’s incapable of defending her failed record.”
The Trump campaign and Republican National Committee have echoed this sentiment, with RNC spokeswoman Anna Kelly adding that Harris “owns the last 3 1/2 years of failure” and has adopted Biden’s “weak, failed policies” as her own.
To Republican strategist Cesar Conda, Trump’s closing statement during the debate was a highlight, as he asked Harris why she hadn’t already accomplished the things she was promising to do during Biden’s term in office. This was seen as a way for Trump to argue that Harris is the “status quo” candidate, which could be a liability given that a majority of voters believe the country is headed in the wrong direction. According to RealClearPolitics, an average of 60% of voters consider the country to be on the wrong track, while only 30% believe it is on the right track.
However, Trump’s performance during the debate was not without its criticisms. Some Republicans felt that he did not adequately tie Harris to Biden or the progressive views she held during her 2020 presidential campaign.
Tom Pauken, the former chairman of the Texas Republican Party, expressed concern that Trump was focusing too much on Biden and not enough on Harris. “Biden’s not the candidate,” Pauken said. “Trump has got to get his mind set on Kamala Harris and away from his grudge match with Joe Biden.”
Moving forward, Republican strategist Alex Conant said that Trump risks diluting his populist, anti-establishment message if he does not contrast his agenda with Harris’s vice presidency. “If you like the way things are going in this country, elect the vice president,” Conant said, highlighting the need for Trump to focus on Harris and her record.
Conant also emphasized the importance of Trump’s core message, which is centered around being a populist, anti-establishment candidate. “That appeals to disaffected Democrats, to independents, to populists, and it’s authentic to Trump,” Conant said.
