Republican vice-presidential candidate J.D. Vance referred to Kamala Harris's late entry into the US presidential race as a 'sucker punch,' as revealed in a recording of his comments at a fundraiser obtained by The Washington Post.
In remarks that diverged from his campaign's public stance but highlighted the unexpected shifts in a race initially expected to be between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, Vance informed donors over the weekend that 'all of us were hit with a little bit of a political sucker punch.' The Vance-Trump campaign maintains that the Democratic vice-president's entry will not disrupt their strategy, asserting that Harris is closely aligned with Biden's policies. 'Nothing fundamentally changes,' stated senior Trump adviser Jason Miller to AFP earlier this month at the Republican National Convention, amidst rumors that Biden might withdraw.
'Whether it's Joe Biden or Kamala Harris, or any other radical liberal Democrats, they all share responsibility for the failure of destroying our economy and ruining our borders.' However, Vance reportedly cautioned that 'Harris does not carry the same baggage as Joe Biden, because whatever we might have to say, Kamala is significantly younger.' 'And Kamala Harris is clearly not facing the same challenges that Joe Biden did.'
Harris has virtually secured the Democratic nomination following 81-year-old Biden's surprising decision to withdraw from his reelection bid, amid concerns about his age and mental sharpness. This decision plunged the US presidential race into unfamiliar territory, as Harris, Biden's vice-president, races towards the November 5 vote on an accelerated schedule. Yet, her candidacy has ignited excitement among a broad spectrum of voters who were disillusioned with a potential Biden-Trump rerun, and solidifies 78-year-old Trump, known for his erratic and confusing speeches, as the oldest ever US presidential nominee.
