Republicans reveal campaign strategy for running against Kamala Harris
During the second night of the Republican National Convention, the vice president was often targeted by speakers.
TroibNews 
On Tuesday, Republicans clearly outlined their strategy against Vice President Kamala Harris by frequently labeling her the "border czar."
During the second day of the Republican National Convention, several speakers targeted Harris, who some Democrats view as the best alternative if President Joe Biden steps down from the 2024 race. Republicans coined the term "border czar" based on Harris’ role in addressing Central American migration issues at the southern border, a position appointed by Biden.
Former Rep. Mike Rogers, currently running for U.S. Senate in Michigan, mentioned he had "never seen anything like the Biden-Harris open border policy."
Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) claimed the duo opened the border "to terrorists, to criminals," while Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton accused them of allowing "a third world invasion."
This tactic was a bold effort to shape Harris' public image using the high visibility of the RNC. It serves as a strategic move regardless of whether Biden remains the nominee or if Harris replaces him, laying the groundwork for future attacks.
“After tanking the bipartisan border deal, Donald Trump has resorted to lying about the vice president’s record,” stated Brian Fallon, a Harris campaign spokesperson. “As a former district attorney and attorney general, she has stood up to fraudsters and felons like Trump her entire career. Trump’s lies won’t stop her from continuing to prosecute the case against him on the biggest issues in this race.”
The convention night titled “Make America Safe Once Again” saw frequent discussions on immigration and the U.S.-Mexico border. More than a dozen speakers connected border policy to issues like fentanyl overdoses, unrest in major cities, and crimes committed by undocumented immigrants.
Significant criticism was aimed at Biden, with speakers painting a bleak picture of the nation's state. Florida Sen. Rick Scott expressed fears that a second Biden administration would “erase” the southern border and facilitate mass illegal immigration. Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake claimed Arizona’s border had been handed over to cartels and criminals, leading to fatal drug influxes. Wisconsin Senate candidate Eric Hovde accused Biden of permitting criminals and terrorists into the country.
Echoing former President Donald Trump’s themes, the narrative linked immigration to crime, suggesting Biden’s policies have led to an unsafe America. This theme is expected to heavily feature in the GOP nominee’s speech on Thursday.
Harris, too, was a recurrent target, frequently called the “border czar.”
Appointed by Biden to lead immigration initiatives in 2021, Harris’s role was to address the root causes of migration from Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. Despite the narrower scope of her assignment, Republicans depicted her as the face of the administration’s challenges managing the asylum seeker surge at the southern border.
Harris’ diplomatic efforts, while enhancing her foreign policy credentials, were marred by controversial public statements, such as her “Don’t come” plea to Guatemalans weighing migration. This and other missteps, like her response to NBC’s Lester Holt about not visiting the U.S.-Mexico border, drew backlash and conservative mockery.
Following Harris’s initial visit to the border in 2021, border crossings still reached historic levels by 2023. Democrats conceded to significant legislative changes, backing a bipartisan bill to tighten asylum standards, which ultimately failed after Trump opposed it.
Despite recent decreases in border crossings and Biden’s executive order curbing asylum seeker numbers, Republicans have continued to criticize the administration, referring to the migrant flow as an "invasion" and advocating for the return of Trump’s border wall.
Tuesday's rhetoric indicated that Harris will also be a primary target. Dave McCormick, a Senate hopeful from Pennsylvania, criticized “Biden-Harris-Casey” border policies and dubbed Harris the “border czar,” while House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) accused Biden and Harris of wanting “illegals” to vote.
Their messaging was bolstered by testimonies from “everyday Americans” aligned with the RNC’s theme, including Rachel Morin's family. She was tragically killed in 2023 by a man from El Salvador who had entered the country illegally.
Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who has argued that supporting Biden equates to endorsing “President Harris,” noted the border issue in her criticism of a Harris presidency.
“Kamala had one job. One job,” said Haley. “And that was to fix the border. Now imagine her in charge of the entire country.”
Anusha Mathur and Madison Fernandez contributed to this report.
Lucas Dupont contributed to this report for TROIB News
During the second day of the Republican National Convention, several speakers targeted Harris, who some Democrats view as the best alternative if President Joe Biden steps down from the 2024 race. Republicans coined the term "border czar" based on Harris’ role in addressing Central American migration issues at the southern border, a position appointed by Biden.
Former Rep. Mike Rogers, currently running for U.S. Senate in Michigan, mentioned he had "never seen anything like the Biden-Harris open border policy."
Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) claimed the duo opened the border "to terrorists, to criminals," while Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton accused them of allowing "a third world invasion."
This tactic was a bold effort to shape Harris' public image using the high visibility of the RNC. It serves as a strategic move regardless of whether Biden remains the nominee or if Harris replaces him, laying the groundwork for future attacks.
“After tanking the bipartisan border deal, Donald Trump has resorted to lying about the vice president’s record,” stated Brian Fallon, a Harris campaign spokesperson. “As a former district attorney and attorney general, she has stood up to fraudsters and felons like Trump her entire career. Trump’s lies won’t stop her from continuing to prosecute the case against him on the biggest issues in this race.”
The convention night titled “Make America Safe Once Again” saw frequent discussions on immigration and the U.S.-Mexico border. More than a dozen speakers connected border policy to issues like fentanyl overdoses, unrest in major cities, and crimes committed by undocumented immigrants.
Significant criticism was aimed at Biden, with speakers painting a bleak picture of the nation's state. Florida Sen. Rick Scott expressed fears that a second Biden administration would “erase” the southern border and facilitate mass illegal immigration. Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake claimed Arizona’s border had been handed over to cartels and criminals, leading to fatal drug influxes. Wisconsin Senate candidate Eric Hovde accused Biden of permitting criminals and terrorists into the country.
Echoing former President Donald Trump’s themes, the narrative linked immigration to crime, suggesting Biden’s policies have led to an unsafe America. This theme is expected to heavily feature in the GOP nominee’s speech on Thursday.
Harris, too, was a recurrent target, frequently called the “border czar.”
Appointed by Biden to lead immigration initiatives in 2021, Harris’s role was to address the root causes of migration from Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. Despite the narrower scope of her assignment, Republicans depicted her as the face of the administration’s challenges managing the asylum seeker surge at the southern border.
Harris’ diplomatic efforts, while enhancing her foreign policy credentials, were marred by controversial public statements, such as her “Don’t come” plea to Guatemalans weighing migration. This and other missteps, like her response to NBC’s Lester Holt about not visiting the U.S.-Mexico border, drew backlash and conservative mockery.
Following Harris’s initial visit to the border in 2021, border crossings still reached historic levels by 2023. Democrats conceded to significant legislative changes, backing a bipartisan bill to tighten asylum standards, which ultimately failed after Trump opposed it.
Despite recent decreases in border crossings and Biden’s executive order curbing asylum seeker numbers, Republicans have continued to criticize the administration, referring to the migrant flow as an "invasion" and advocating for the return of Trump’s border wall.
Tuesday's rhetoric indicated that Harris will also be a primary target. Dave McCormick, a Senate hopeful from Pennsylvania, criticized “Biden-Harris-Casey” border policies and dubbed Harris the “border czar,” while House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) accused Biden and Harris of wanting “illegals” to vote.
Their messaging was bolstered by testimonies from “everyday Americans” aligned with the RNC’s theme, including Rachel Morin's family. She was tragically killed in 2023 by a man from El Salvador who had entered the country illegally.
Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who has argued that supporting Biden equates to endorsing “President Harris,” noted the border issue in her criticism of a Harris presidency.
“Kamala had one job. One job,” said Haley. “And that was to fix the border. Now imagine her in charge of the entire country.”
Anusha Mathur and Madison Fernandez contributed to this report.
Lucas Dupont contributed to this report for TROIB News
