- Harris and Waltz vs. Trump and Vance - What the Duos Stand For
Kamala Harris completes the Democratic team for the November 5 election by appointing Tim Walz as her running mate. On the Republican side, the duo of Donald Trump as presidential candidate and J.D. Vance as his vice have been set for some time. The intense phase of the U.S. election campaign is now underway for the next 90 days.
Both Democrats and Republicans are focusing on the politically contested swing states. After their first joint appearance in the state of Pennsylvania, Harris and Walz traveled to Wisconsin and Michigan. Concurrently, Vance was also on the campaign trail. They are essentially battling for the votes of undecided and swing voters who will ultimately decide the election.
What are the duos focusing on, and where do the candidates offer attack points? Here's an overview:
Migration
For Republicans, migration is the most important issue this year. Trump regularly rails against migrants at rallies, using dehumanizing language. Vance often peddles the conspiracy theory that Democrats are trying to replace America's "traditional" voters with people from Latin America. They blame Harris for the crisis at the border with Mexico. President Joe Biden had tasked her with the difficult job of addressing the root causes of migration. After three and a half years, she hasn't shown much progress.
Her running mate, Walz, as governor of Minnesota, a state bordering Canada, only tangentially deals with southern border policy. He generally advocates for a pro-immigration stance.
Many people choose to cross into the U.S. via Mexico to escape poverty, violence, and political crises in their home countries. The situation at the border remains tense. Authorities are struggling to process asylum applications, and accommodations and other resources for arrivals are scarce. While the numbers of illegal border crossings have decreased recently, they are still high.
Abortion
Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the nationwide right to abortion two years ago, Harris has been vehemently advocating for women's rights - and has been more convincing on this issue than on migration. Abortion has become a central campaign issue for Democrats.
Harris wants to restore the nationwide right to abortion. Currently, there's a patchwork of regulations, with some states having very restrictive provisions or outright bans. She wants to introduce uniform legislation. Trump and Vance, however, want the issue to remain a matter for the states.
Walz, as Harris' running mate, was the first governor to sign a new law in Minnesota ensuring a "fundamental right to autonomous decisions" regarding abortion, contraception, and fertility treatments.
Economy
No Trump speech goes by without a comprehensive critique of Biden's current economic policy, which Harris also shares responsibility for. "Inflation" is the keyword here. Trump argues that it's a result of uncontrolled government spending.
While the inflation rate has decreased, prices for everyday purchases have stabilized at a high level, causing many Americans distress. Republicans are touching a nerve with this issue.
Harris and Walz emphasize the need for investments in climate protection in their campaign. Another focus is strengthening workers' rights. Walz is known for his union-friendly stance. Harris has advocated for stronger taxation of the wealthy.
Trump advocates for less state regulation. Vance also shows basic skepticism. During his presidency, Trump lowered corporate and business taxes to promote business investments.
Democracy
Democrats have declared the November election a vote that is nothing less than a choice between preserving democracy and the rule of law. The storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021, is evidence that the U.S. could become "a country of chaos, fear, and hate," Harris repeatedly emphasizes in her campaign.
To this day, Trump does not acknowledge his 2020 election loss, and he leaves open what he would do in case of a November defeat. With Vance, he has chosen a vice president who also questions the result.
Walz is working in his state to ensure that as many people as possible can vote and that barriers are removed. The fact that Trump was convicted in a New York criminal case also provides ammunition. As a former prosecutor, Harris emphasizes that she knows "types like Trump."
Vulnerable Points
In the coming weeks, the teams will focus even more on attacking their opponents where they see open flanks.
Harris and Walz accuse Trump and Vance of wanting to "turn back the clock." Democrats warn that another Republican presidency would endanger basic freedoms and democracy in general.
They also accuse Trump's running mate, Vance, of lacking authenticity. The author of the bestseller "Hillbilly Elegy" has made his roots in the working class his political identity, but his education at an elite university, his subsequent career as an investor, and his proximity to billionaires in Silicon Valley provide an opportunity to sow doubts about Vance's connection to the people.
Trump and Vance, in turn, label Harris and Walz as "far-left." They hang their argument particularly on the topics of migration and internal security.
They explicitly attack Walz for his role during the "Black Lives Matter" civil rights protests in 2020, accusing him of not acting quickly and harshly enough against riots in Minnesota as governor. They use this example to portray Walz and the Democrats as supporters of lawlessness. They also use Walz's connection to China, where he once worked as a teacher, as an attack point.
The duo of Harris and Walz is focusing on highlighting the potential dangers of a Republican presidency on democracy and basic freedoms, while Trump and Vance are attacking their opponents for their perceived leftist leanings, particularly on migration and internal security. Harris and Walz are also criticizing Vance for his perceived disconnect from the working class, citing his education and career, while Trump's team is accusing Walz of being soft on lawlessness and having ties to China.
