Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) has privately told donors that the emergence of Harris’ campaign was a “political surprise” and a departure from former President Trump’s previous messaging.
“We were all caught a bit of a political surprise,” Vance said Saturday about President Biden’s campaign halt. The Washington Post first reported the news.
“The bad news is Kamala Harris doesn’t have the same problems that Joe Biden does because, you know, she’s a lot younger,” Vance said at a fundraiser in Golden Valley, Minnesota. “And Kamala Harris certainly doesn’t have the same struggles that Joe Biden does.”
Democrats have thrown their support behind the vice president’s campaign since Biden dropped out and endorsed Harris, who has broken donation records and secured enough delegates to win the Democratic nomination at next month’s convention.
The Trump campaign has publicly maintained that Harris’ replacement with Biden will not change the race. Trump supporters have criticized Harris’ role in the Biden administration, particularly on immigration and inflation, and claim that she misled the public about Biden’s suitability.
After Biden withdrew, Vance joked that he was “kind of pissed” that he wouldn’t be able to debate Harris as the vice presidential nominee now that she’s poised to take on Trump, and warned voters that Harris is “a million times worse” than Biden.
At a fundraiser over the weekend, Vance offered a less strong opinion of Harris.
“We have a very unique opportunity, but we also have a very unique challenge, because, let’s be honest, 10 days ago, everybody had an opinion about the two candidates who were running for president,” Vance told The Washington Post. “Love them or hate them, everybody has an opinion about Donald Trump and Joe Biden over the last eight years. But with Kamala Harris, people really don’t know.”
The Hill has reached out to Vance and Trump’s team for comment.
In a statement to The Washington Post, Vance spokesman Will Martin said Trump is leading Harris in the polls because “voters have discovered Harris’ weak, failed and dangerously liberal policies.”
“Her far-left ideology is even more influential than Joe Biden’s, especially in key battleground states that will determine this election, such as Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin,” Martin’s statement said.
Though it’s still early, polls have her ahead of Biden in the polls, which is mostly good news for Harris, but experts say the race is still very unclear.
