The 2024 presidential election is rapidly approaching, with the outcome poised to have a profound impact on the future of the United States. As Vice President Kamala Harris prepares to accept the Democratic nomination, her policy proposals are coming under scrutiny. If elected, Harris has vowed to implement a range of sweeping changes, including defunding the police, opening the southern border, banning offshore drilling, and restricting Second Amendment rights.
However, according to pollster Frank Luntz, Harris’s chances of winning in November could be significantly diminished if her opponent, former President Donald Trump, focuses on her lack of accomplishments as Vice President. Luntz advises Trump to ask voters a simple question: “Can you name one thing she accomplished as Vice President?” By doing so, Trump can shift the focus from personal attacks to Harris’s record, which Luntz believes is vulnerable to criticism.
Luntz notes that voters are often turned off by personal attacks, but are more receptive to critiques of a politician’s record. “People don’t like it when politicians attack each other. Accountability? Yes. Attacks? No,” he said. In interviews with voters at the American Federation of Teachers’ Convention, many struggled to name a single accomplishment of Harris’s during her time as Vice President.
The latest polling data suggests that Trump is currently leading Harris by a narrow margin, with a one-point advantage in the New York Times poll. Trump is also ahead in key battleground states, including Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. Luntz points to Harris’s handling of immigration as a particular area of weakness, noting that she was given responsibility for the issue but failed to make significant progress.
Luntz draws a contrast between Harris’s record and that of other influential Vice Presidents, such as Dick Cheney. “A vice president, Joe Biden, when he was vice president, had specific responsibilities under the Obama administration. She did nothing,” he said. By highlighting Harris’s lack of accomplishments, Trump may be able to gain an advantage in the election.
