JD Vance says Kamala Harris stepping into the 2024 presidential race is a 'political sucker punch' as Vice President takes two point lead over Trump in latest poll
Ohio Senator JD Vance has been left red-faced after audio from a recent fundraiser in which he admitted that Kamala Harris' entering the race was a 'sucker punch' for the GOP ticket.
Vance, 39, ex-president Donald Trump's choice for vice president, was speaking with donors during an event in Minnesota on July 27 when he made the remarks, reports The Washington Post.
'All of us were hit with a little bit of a political sucker punch. The bad news is that Kamala Harris does not have the same baggage as Joe Biden, because whatever we might have to say, Kamala is a lot younger,' the former 'Never-Trumper' said.
'And Kamala Harris is obviously not struggling in the same ways that Joe Biden did.'
This embarrassing development for the Trump campaign comes as a new poll from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute shows that Harris holds a two point lead over the GOP nominee.
Meanwhile, an ABC News/Ipsos poll, Harris' favorability rating among Americans hit 43 percent in late July. It's a sharp increase from its 35 percent before Biden exited the race.
Publicly JD Vance has been bullish regarding the prospect of Vice President Kamala Harris replacing President Joe Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket
A new poll gives Harris and extremely narrow advantage over Donald Trump
Publicly, Vance has been bullish, arguing that Harris jumping in the race following President Joe Biden's shock announcement that he would not be running, did not impact 'the political calculus' for Republicans.
Vance's surrogates have been targeting Harris' record on the border, support for police funding and fracking.
'We have a very unique opportunity, but also a very unique challenge, because, let's be honest, 10 days ago, the two candidates who were running for president, everybody had an opinion about 'em,' Vance told supporters.
'Love 'em or hate 'em, everybody has an opinion about Donald Trump and Joe Biden after the past eight years... but Kamala Harris, people don't really know.'
The Angus Reid poll shows a much more diverse and youthful vote for Harris.
A whopping 56 percent of non-white voters say they favor the former senator from California compared against 25 percent for Trump.
In terms of the youth vote, 50 percent of potential Harris voters are under the age of 35 compared against Trump's 32 percent.
The pair are tied among voters between the age of 35 and 54.
Trump is unsurprisingly favored by white voters with 51 percent to 37 and with elderly voters, 49 to 40 percent.
In response to The Washington Post's report, a Vance spokesperson called Harris 'weak' and 'failed' while promoting a 'dangerously liberal agenda.'
'Her far-left ideas are even more radioactive than Joe Biden, particularly in the key swing states that will decide this election like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin,' Will Martin said.
It has emerged this week that the Harris campaign has raised $200 million since she emerged as the likely Democratic presidential nominee last week
It has also emerged this week that the Harris campaign has raised $200 million since she emerged as the likely Democratic presidential nominee last week, an eyepopping haul in her race against the Republican nominee.
The campaign, which announced its latest fundraising total on Sunday, said the bulk of the donations - 66 percent - comes from first-time contributors in the 2024 election cycle and were made after Biden's decision not to run.
Over 170,000 volunteers have also signed up to help the Harris campaign with phone banking, canvassing and other get-out-the-vote efforts. Election Day is 100 days away.
'The momentum and energy for Vice President Harris is real — and so are the fundamentals of this race: this election will be very close and decided by a small number of voters in just a few states,' Michael Tyler, the campaign's communications director, wrote in a memo.
Her campaign said it held some 2,300 organizing events in battleground states this weekend as several high-profile Democrats under consideration to serve as Harris' running mate stumped for her.
Harris campaigned in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, on Saturday, drawing hundreds to a fundraiser that had been organized when Biden was still at the top of the Democratic ticket.
The fundraiser had originally been expected to raise $400,000 but ended bringing in about $1.4 million, according to the campaign.
Mandy Robbins, 45, of Decatur, Georgia, drove to one of those organizing events Sunday in the northern suburbs of Atlanta to hear Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a potential Harris running mate.
She thought Biden did a 'great job' in the White House, but acknowledged she 'would not have been nearly this excited' if he remained in the race.
'I finally feel hopeful now,' Robbins said. She added, 'We can win this with Harris.'
