Harris’ four-day West Coast trip had two purposes. Harris began and ended her trip with stops in Arizona and Nevada, two Sunbelt battleground states where the vice president is trying to shore up support as President Donald Trump relentlessly attacks her on illegal immigration. And half of her stay in California was devoted to raising campaign funds from donors in her home blue state.
Harris also visited the Arizona border town of Douglas on Friday, making inroads into what President Trump considers an immigrant zone. It was her first visit to the U.S.-Mexico border since replacing President Joe Biden on the Democratic presidential ticket.
Harris’ visit to the Arizona border appears to have irritated Trump. Republican leaders spent two days abusing the vice president during rallies, mounting personal attacks against her and claiming the vice president was responsible for the border “invasion” rather than a state of lawlessness if he were elected. It stirred up unfounded fears.
Ms. Harris had the same reaction to her insults, even though President Trump called her “mentally ill.”
“We’re just watching the same old boring show with the same old boring scenario,” she told a crowd of donors in Los Angeles on Sunday, some of whom yelled, “It’s boring!” There was also Accordingly.
Hours later in Las Vegas, she also renewed her attacks on Trump, who has a “silver platter” career despite causing six bankruptcies, saying, “I come from a middle-class background and I don’t believe in myself. I’ll never forget where I came from.”
Mr Harris warned that the race was extremely close and one with “margin of error”. But at a fundraiser in Los Angeles, she added: “The election is right around the corner. Let me be clear: We are going to win.”
The event was packed with celebrities: Stevie Wonder, Keegan-Michael Key, Sterling K. Brown, Demi Lovato, Jessica Alba and Lily Tomlin were in attendance, and Hall Bailey and Alanis Morissette took to the stage. I went up to That and a fundraiser in San Francisco the day before raised a combined $55 million for Harris’ campaign.
Harris spent Sunday night in Las Vegas and was scheduled to make a campaign stop in Las Vegas on Monday. However, her office announced that she would be returning to Washington earlier than scheduled to attend a briefing on the damage caused by Hurricane Helen at the headquarters of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Meanwhile, the vice president continues to enjoy Republican support. Former Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake recently endorsed her. He praised Harris’ “good character and love of country” and said he wanted a president who would not antagonize political opponents or seek to subvert the will of voters.
Flake, a longtime critic of the former president, joins a growing list of anti-Trump Republicans, including conservative former Vice President Dick Cheney and his daughter Liz, who have said they will vote for the Democratic candidate.
But Maryland Sen. Larry Hogan, a former Republican governor and harsh critic of President Trump, said that while President Trump won’t get any votes, Harris hasn’t gotten any votes yet.
In Nevada, where Harris recently held a rally, all voters automatically receive a ballot by mail unless they opt out. The pandemic-era changes are mandated by state law. That means most ballots could start being shipped within weeks.
Harris is scheduled to return to Las Vegas on October 10th to address a town hall with Hispanic voters. Both she and Trump frequently campaign in the city, and Nevada’s six electoral votes could play a key role in determining the outcome of what is expected to be a close election. is highlighted.
President Trump held his own Las Vegas rally at the Expo World Market Center on September 13, and Harris spoke on Sunday. She also held events at the same venues used by President Trump in Milwaukee, Atlanta and the Phoenix suburbs.
During a campaign stop in Las Vegas in June, Trump promised to eliminate taxes on tips received by thousands of waiters, hotel workers and other service industry workers. Harris used her Las Vegas rally in August to make the same promise.
Completely eliminating the federal tax on tips would likely require legislation from Congress. Still, the Nevada Culinary Union, which represents 60,000 hospitality workers in Las Vegas and Reno, supports Harris.
Long report from Washington.
