Kamala Harris Finally Considering Doing Something She Should've Done a Long Time Ago: Report
For many, this has been a long time coming.
For Vice President Kamala Harris — who is set to lead the Democratic ticket in the upcoming November election — this is seen as an overdue action.
A new report from CNN reveals that Harris' campaign team is considering a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border as part of her campaign stop in Arizona this Friday.
Why the sudden interest in visiting the border?
Harris’ team is attempting “to close the gap with former President Donald Trump on the issue of immigration,” according to sources who spoke with CNN.
Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, has been consistently criticizing both Harris and current President Joe Biden over their handling of the southern border.
“Some Harris campaign officials remain concerned about the gap in polling, which shows Trump holding a lead on the issue,” CNN stated.
The report also mentions that Harris’ campaign believes that a visit to the border, coupled with the necessary optics, could significantly help in addressing these concerns.
Although this border visit is still not confirmed, CNN notes that it would take place less than two months before election day, during what is shaping up to be an intensely competitive race.
While polling aggregates have leaned slightly in Harris’ favor since Biden’s announcement in July that he wouldn’t seek re-election, multiple issues still burden the vice president, with illegal immigration being one of the most pressing.
This is largely because Harris was, in effect, appointed as Biden’s “border czar” — an unofficial but functional role that ties her closely to the administration's handling of border issues.
Due to this association, Harris is struggling to distance herself from this area of Biden’s perceived failures, in contrast to other issues where she has had more success.
Trump is fully aware of this.
Among his various criticisms of Harris, one of his most pointed attacks has been her approach to border policy (or perceived lack thereof).
Trump’s persistent critique on the issue has even led Harris to backtrack on some of her positions related to the border, inadvertently aiding Trump in his campaign.
Despite the ongoing challenges with illegal immigration and the southern border, Harris currently holds a 2.2-point lead over Trump in the Real Clear Politics polling average.
While that figure is promising for Harris in terms of the popular vote, it carries less weight when it comes to the race for electoral votes.