Kamala Harris quickly gained the support of Democrats and launched her campaign with great momentum after being endorsed by Biden. Within 48 hours, she secured the backing of the party's heavyweights and raised over $200 million in record donations. Her campaign, which effectively targets young people, women, and African Americans with engaging social media content, has shifted the mood among Democrats and disrupted Trump's campaign.
The perception that Biden would lose to Trump was growing, exacerbated by the political climate following an assassination attempt on Trump, which had further demoralized Democrats. However, Harris's candidacy has not only injected new enthusiasm into the party but also re-engaged those who were disillusioned by Biden's candidacy. Her viral TikTok posts have quickly rallied Gen Z to her side, contrasting sharply with Hillary Clinton's 2016 approach. Harris's campaign aims to corner Republicans on issues of abortion and reproductive rights, determined to make women's rights the central issue of the election.
‘CHILDLESS CAT WOMEN’
Trump's running mate, J.D. Vance, is facing backlash for his anti-abortion stance and for his comment about 'childless cat women,' which has become a political liability. Vance's remarks linking low birth rates to economic and national strength, blaming liberal women, are costing him politically. Harris's campaign argues that these comments prove Republicans' opposition to women's autonomy. As one of the most liberal senators without biological children (she has two stepchildren), Harris represents the very demographic Vance disparages. Her campaign asserts that Vance's words reflect Republicans' attempts to dictate women's family planning choices. Democrats see women's issues as a crucial advantage against Trump and Vance in the November elections and intend to leverage this fully.
Republicans wanting to roll back women's rights has become a prominent theme in Harris's campaign. Michigan's Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a potential running mate for Harris, has criticized Vance for not seeing women as equals. Whitmer, using one of Harris's key campaign phrases, stated that Trump and Vance want to 'take us back,' but 'we absolutely say never.' Other potential vice-presidential candidates like Josh Shapiro, Mark Kelly, and Pete Buttigieg have also been supporting Harris by emphasizing the importance of women's issues.
THE ABORTION ISSUE CHALLENGES TRUMP
Harris's campaign focuses on consolidating women's votes by highlighting the Supreme Court's reversal of the Roe decision, which led to abortion bans in over twenty states. Democrats emphasize Trump's pivotal role in appointing conservative justices who overturned Roe and warn that a second Trump term could bring nationwide abortion bans and further restrictions on reproductive rights. Aware of how delicate the abortion issue is, Trump has avoided endorsing a national ban and has even criticized Republicans who support it. However, Harris is clearly determined to make abortion and reproductive rights the central issues of her campaign.
Democrats successfully mobilized women against Trump and Trump-backed candidates in the 2020 presidential election and the 2022 midterms. Women, particularly motivated by the backlash against Hillary Clinton's 2016 loss and Trump's presidency, have become more politically active. With another female candidate in Harris, Democratic women are even more motivated to elect a woman president this time. By focusing on attacking Trump and Vance directly on women's and abortion rights, Harris's campaign aims to capitalize on this enthusiasm. Trump's failure to select a female running mate, which was crucial for Biden's 2020 victory, appears to neglect the significant female electorate. As they head into the November elections with two white male candidates tainted by their records on women's issues, Republicans risk paying the price for ignoring independent, educated women.
