Trump Attacks Harris as She Advances in Latest Poll

Sudan Events – Agencies 

The state of Pennsylvania is witnessing election rallies over the weekend for Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, as a recent poll shows the U.S. Vice President making significant progress just days before the Democratic National Convention, where she will officially be declared the party’s presidential nominee, according to the French news agency AFP.

Trump’s campaign rally is being held in the small town of Wilkes-Barre, while Harris is conducting a campaign tour in the state, with several stops scheduled for Sunday before heading to the Democratic National Convention set to take place in Chicago.

Speaking in Pennsylvania, Trump began by blaming Harris for what he described as “devastating” inflation, one of the major issues in the election campaign. Trump quickly mocked Harris’s laugh, calling her “communist” and “crazy.” He also criticized a picture of Harris on the cover of Time magazine, insisting that “he looks much better than her.”

The momentum in the presidential race has shifted dramatically since President Joe Biden withdrew from the race on July 21, and Harris entered, energizing the Democratic Party’s base.

A poll conducted by The New York Times and Siena College, published on Saturday, showed that Harris has brought the Democrats back into strong competition in four states that Trump was on track to easily win over Biden.

The Republican candidate is struggling to find a way to curb Harris’s rise, and the new poll is likely to cause further concern for his campaign team, with Harris leading in Arizona and North Carolina and narrowing the gap in Nevada and Georgia.

Trump will need to find new momentum during his rally on Saturday, following a series of lackluster rallies at his Florida estate and a golf club he owns in New Jersey.

Personal Criticisms

Trump’s campaign statements focus on issues like immigration and inflation, but the candidate devotes much of his speeches to personal attacks on Harris, something that may not sit well with independent voters or those who are still undecided ahead of the November 5 election.

A statement from Trump’s campaign ahead of the rally in Wilkes-Barre stated that “hardworking Americans are suffering because of the dangerous liberal policies of the Harris-Biden administration.”

The statement added, “Prices are painfully high, the cost of living has skyrocketed, crime has risen significantly, and illegal immigrants are flooding into our country,” noting that recently imposed stricter border measures have significantly halted the flow of illegal workers and asylum seekers.

In a conversation with reporters on Thursday, Trump said he feels “entitled” to continue directing personal criticisms at Harris, the first woman of color to be nominated for the presidency by one of the two major parties in the United States.

Trump’s criticisms include questioning Harris’s intelligence and racial identity, calling her a “communist.”

While polls show a heated competition, swing states, especially Pennsylvania, will be decisive according to the U.S. Electoral College system. Trump narrowly lost the state to Biden in 2020, but he enjoys strong support in rural areas and small towns.

Last week, a New York Times and Siena College poll showed Harris slightly ahead of Trump in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The Vice President hopes to maintain her momentum before heading to the Democratic National Convention.

The convention, which kicks off on Monday in Chicago, will feature three days of speeches by party leaders, including Biden and former President Barack Obama, before Harris delivers her acceptance speech on Thursday.

Battle Over the Economy

With the election date approaching on November 5, Harris is attempting to distance herself from Biden’s unpopular policies, countering Trump’s attempts to label her as an extreme liberal.

Last week, both sides focused on voters’ concerns about the economy.

Trump attacked Harris on Thursday, claiming that she has “strong communist leanings,” which he argued would “destroy the American dream.”

For her part, Harris participated in an event in North Carolina on Friday, where she unveiled proposals to ease the burden of inflation following the COVID-19 pandemic.

She noted that the U.S. economy is thriving, while acknowledging that “many Americans do not yet feel this progress in their daily lives.”

She added, “Trump fights for millionaires and big corporations. I will fight to put money back in the hands of working Americans and the middle class.”