Joy Olson, a 70-year-old retiree, proudly wore a “Make America Joyful Again” button while waiting in line to attend a Kamala Harris rally. Despite her joyful demeanor, Olson expressed a desire for Harris to be more aggressive towards Republican nominee Donald Trump, whom she called “evil and scary.” As the campaign enters its final days, Harris is taking a more confrontational approach, painting a dark vision of the country if Trump is reelected. She is highlighting Trump’s alarming rhetoric and criticizing his actions, such as his false claims about the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.
Harris is shifting her campaign strategy towards sharper attacks on Trump in an effort to energize her supporters and win over persuadable voters in battleground states. She has been emphasizing the dangers of allowing Trump to remain in the White House and has been using video clips at her rallies to showcase his troubling behavior. Harris has been calling out Trump for his attempts to undermine American democracy and his threats to fundamental freedoms and rights. Her campaign is focusing on making the election a referendum on Trump’s presidency.
Since becoming the Democratic nominee in late July, Harris has faced the challenge of introducing herself to voters while also highlighting the dangers of a second Trump term. While she initially tried to strike a balance by sharing her background and vision for governing, she has now intensified her criticisms of Trump. By portraying Trump as a threat to democracy and individual rights, Harris aims to appeal to independent and moderate Republican voters who may be looking for an alternative to Trump.
Harris’s aggressive stance against Trump has not gone unnoticed by his campaign, which has accused her of lying about the former president. Trump’s team has emphasized that Harris’s campaign is built on falsehoods about him. However, Harris’s outreach to Republican voters and her efforts to expand her base of support by attracting those who have previously rejected Trump illustrate her campaign’s strategic approach. By focusing on issues that resonate with a broader audience, such as protecting American democracy, Harris hopes to motivate voters who may have become disillusioned with the political process.
Former Biden communications director Kate Bedingfield believes that attacking Trump allows Harris to draw attention to the stakes of the election and rally support from voters who are tired of the current political climate. By framing Trump as a threat to women’s reproductive health and other key issues, Harris aims to highlight the contrast between her vision for the country and Trump’s policies. Supporters like Greg Swagel, a retired yacht builder from Wisconsin, agree with Harris’s more aggressive approach and believe she needs to stand up to Trump’s lies and name-calling without lowering herself to his level.
As Harris continues her campaign efforts in battleground states like Wisconsin, she is intensifying her criticism of Trump and emphasizing the risks of a second Trump term. Her strategy of targeting Trump’s behavior and policies as a clear contrast to her own platform aims to mobilize voters and persuade undecided individuals. By appealing to a wide range of voters, including independents and moderate Republicans, Harris hopes to build a coalition that will ultimately reject Trump and elect her as the next Vice President of the United States.
