Trump questions rival Harris' racial identity

2024-08-01 17:36:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Trump questions rival Harris' racial identity

Donald Trump

The Republican presidential candidate and his potential Democratic rival are continuing their campaigns in the race for the White House. Former President Donald Trump cast doubt on the racial identity of Vice President Kamala Harris, while Ms. Harris challenged Mr. Trump to a debate.

With less than 100 days until the election, VOA correspondent Scott Stearns takes a look at the support the two candidates are currently enjoying.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump told supporters in the battleground state of Pennsylvania that his potential Democratic opponent is a fraud.

"The heads of the radical left Democratic Party have installed a puppet candidate who serves only them. Kamala Harris received zero votes. She is controlled by the donors and power brokers who made her candidacy possible, those who destroy our government and who receive billions and billions of dollars," he said.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Trump had a heated exchange with several African-American female journalists. He cast doubt on the racial identity of Ms Harris, whose mother is Indian and father African-American.

Kamala Harris

"She's always presented with Indian origins and heritage. I didn't know she was African-American until a few years ago when she became African-American. Now she wants to be known as that. So, I don't know if she's Indian or not. African-American," Mr. Trump said.

Vice President Harris has long self-identified as African-American and Indian-American.

Since becoming the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, support for her has equaled that of Republican Trump in seven key states, largely due to increased support among young, African-American and Hispanic voters, according to agency polls. of "Bloomberg" news and "Morning Consult" company.

"The race is taking a new turn and there are signs that Donald Trump is feeling it. You may have noticed," Ms Harris said.

She said at a rally Tuesday in Georgia that Mr. Trump seems to have a lot to say about her but does not want to debate her in the debate scheduled for September.

"Donald, I hope you'll reconsider arguing with me, because as the saying goes, 'if you've got something to say, say it to my face,'" Ms Harris said.

She is expected to announce the candidate for vice president in the coming days, on the eve of the Party Convention in Chicago where she will aim to convince voters that she is a better choice than Mr. Trump.

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump

In North Carolina, voter Wanda Cherry says that since the switch of candidacy from President Biden to Vice President Harris, enthusiasm has increased.

"I'm glad the president recognized that we need someone younger to lead the country, someone who has the smarts and the will to compete," she said.

Georgia pollster T. Stanley doesn't believe Ms. Harris is ready for the presidency.

"First, the fact that she is a candidate terrifies me, because she is not prepared to be president," he says.

Another voter in Georgia says Ms. Harris has reinvigorated the presidential race.

"I'm going to vote for her, and I'm happy about it. I generally think she's a little liberal on a lot of issues, but to protect our democracy, I'm definitely going to vote for her," says Phil Ownbey.

In California, voter Marina George says support for Mr Trump is strong enough to defeat any challenger.

"Even with Kamala Harris, or whoever they put in, they're not going to win. This is simply hastening and deepening the defeat of the Democratic Party. "Everything they're doing is going in favor of the Republicans," she says.

At the national level, the Bloomberg poll has Ms. Harris tied with Mr. Trump with less than 100 days to go before Election Day./ VOA