Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich warned in a column for Fox News that Vice President Kamala Harris could be a “shockingly better” presidential candidate than Republicans expect. Harris scored her fifth polling win in 24 hours, narrowing former President Donald Trump’s lead with just over 100 days left until Election Day. A recent poll by The Wall Street Journal found that Harris had all but eliminated Trump’s lead, with the vice president trailing by a 49 to 47 percent margin in a head-to-head matchup. President Joe Biden, who dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris, was losing to Trump by 6-point margins in earlier polls.
Gingrich outlined the issues he believes Harris is “well to the left of President Biden,” including illegal immigration and corporate taxation. He warned Republicans not to underestimate her, noting her track record as an effective litigator as a District Attorney and Attorney General of California, as well as her aggressive interrogation skills as a Senator. Gingrich compared her to athletes who excel in game time but may appear mediocre in practice, suggesting that Harris may surprise Washington Republicans with her performance as a presidential candidate.
Gingrich also highlighted the advantage that Harris will have in assembling a team of Obama veterans for her campaign. He predicted that her ability to draw from previous successful Democratic efforts, paired with the opportunity to defeat Trump, will make her a formidable opponent. When reached for comment, Harris’ campaign spokesperson declined to provide a statement. Meanwhile, the Trump campaign and Gingrich were also contacted for comment but did not provide a response.
Early polling suggests that a Trump-Harris contest will likely be close, with momentum seeming to shift towards Harris. The vice president has seen gains in several polls of battleground states and among young voters, with experts predicting that her polling position may continue to improve in the near future. Despite this, Trump still holds a clear overall polling advantage over Harris as of now, and is favored by bookmakers to win the election. Three recent polls also show that Trump outperforms Harris in swing states crucial to winning the election, despite support from big Democratic names like former President Barack Obama.
Overall, the upcoming presidential election between Trump and Harris is shaping up to be a closely contested race. While Harris has been gaining momentum and support in recent polls, Trump still holds an advantage in overall polling and remains the favorite to win according to bookmakers. Republican strategist Newt Gingrich’s warning not to underestimate Harris as a candidate, given her track record and potential team of experienced advisors, suggests that the election outcome could be more unpredictable than anticipated. As the campaign season progresses, both candidates will need to strategically navigate their strengths and weaknesses in order to secure victory in November.
