When Kamala Harris entered the presidential race for the first time, she positioned herself on the left to appeal to the Democratic Party’s liberal faction. However, after withdrawing from the race, she found herself amidst a wave of social and racial justice protests in the summer of 2020, where she aligned with progressive ideas on criminal justice reform along with other Democrats.
Now, as Vice President Harris embarks on another race for the White House, her past statements and interviews are being used by Republicans to portray her as a radical leftist, aiming to sway swing voters away from her.
Former President Donald J. Trump has been highlighting her previous positions and remarks at his rallies, while his campaign has started airing television ads that are likely to showcase clips of Ms. Harris’s past statements.
Republican strategist Brad Todd, in collaboration with David McCormick’s campaign in Pennsylvania, emphasized the wealth of material available to criticize Ms. Harris, suggesting that her past statements align her with what they consider “wacky California liberal” views.
The first attack ads targeting Ms. Harris’s previous stances were not from Trump’s campaign but from David McCormick, who is in a race against Senator Bob Casey.