By AAMER MADHANI, BILL BARROW, and MICHELLE L. PRICE
WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris’ marketing campaign has raised $200 million since she emerged because the possible Democratic presidential nominee final week, an eyepopping haul in her race towards the Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump.
The marketing campaign, which introduced its newest fundraising complete on Sunday, stated the majority of the donations — 66% — comes from first-time contributors within the 2024 election cycle and have been made after President Joe Biden announced his exit from the race and endorsed Harris.
Over 170,000 volunteers have additionally signed as much as assist the Harris marketing campaign with telephone banking, canvassing and different get-out-the-vote efforts. Election Day is 100 days away.
“The momentum and vitality for Vice President Harris is actual — and so are the basics of this race: this election might be very shut and determined by a small variety of voters in just some states,” Michael Tyler, the marketing campaign’s communications director, wrote in a memo.
Her marketing campaign stated it held some 2,300 organizing occasions in battleground states this weekend as a number of high-profile Democrats into consideration to function Harris’ operating mate stumped for her.
Harris campaigned in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, on Saturday, drawing hundreds to a fundraiser that had been organized when Biden was nonetheless on the prime of the Democratic ticket. The fundraiser had initially been anticipated to boost $400,000 however ended bringing in about $1.4 million, in keeping with the marketing campaign.
Mandy Robbins, 45, of Decatur, Georgia, drove to a type of organizing occasions Sunday within the northern suburbs of Atlanta to listen to Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a possible Harris operating mate.
She thought Biden did a “nice job” within the White Home, however acknowledged she “wouldn’t have been almost this excited” if he remained within the race.
“I lastly really feel hopeful now,” Robbins stated. She added, “We will win this with Harris.”
Beshear spoke from expertise to supporters, telling them their work may very well be the distinction in what’s anticipated to be a detailed race. Beshear gained his 2019 marketing campaign by a margin of about 5,000 votes of 1.41 million ballots forged. He was reelected in November by a comparatively comfy margin.
“Each door knock mattered. Each telephone name mattered. Each tough dialog that folks had with their uncle at Thanksgiving mattered,” Beshear stated of his 2019 race. “Everybody right here as we speak that indicators as much as volunteer … you could be the distinction in profitable this race for Vice President Harris.”
In the meantime, Trump, operating mate Sen. JD Vance and their surrogates stepped up efforts to border Harris as a far-left politician out of contact with with the American mainstream.
Vance stated after a cease at a diner in Waite Park, Minnesota, on Sunday that Harris has “acquired a little bit little bit of a bump from her introduction” however predicted it could quickly dissipate.
“Look, the persons are going to study her document,” Vance stated. “They’re going to study that she’s a radical. They’re going to study that she’s principally a San Francisco liberal who needs to take San Francisco insurance policies to all the nation.”
Vance was echoing Trump, who in a marketing campaign look with Vance in St. Cloud, Minnesota on Saturday, known as Harris a “loopy liberal,” accused her of eager to “defund the police” and stated she was an “absolute radical” on abortion. Harris, a vocal proponent of abortion rights, has made clear that she is going to make Republican-backed efforts to limit reproductive rights a key plank in her marketing campaign.
“There isn’t a liberal horse that she has chosen to not experience,” stated Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
Trump backer Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., additionally tried to model Harris as a full companion for “a number of the worst selections of the Biden administration,” together with the chaotic August 2021 pullout of U.S. troops led to the swift collapse of the Afghan authorities and army.
Cotton additionally accused Harris of emboldening Iranian proxies Hamas and Hezbollah by urgent Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over civilian casualties within the warfare in Gaza.
Netanyahu met individually with Harris and Biden on the White Home on Thursday. Afterward, Harris stated she urged Netanyahu to achieve a cease-fire deal quickly with Hamas in order that dozens of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza since Oct. 7 can return residence. Harris stated she additionally affirmed Israel’s proper to defend itself however expressed deep concern in regards to the high death toll in Gaza and the “dire” humanitarian state of affairs there. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist group by the USA, Canada and the European Union.
Tensions within the Mideast intensified on Saturday after Israeli authorities stated a rocket from Lebanon struck a soccer field within the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, killing 12 kids and youngsters. The strike raised fears of a broader regional war between Israel and Hezbollah, which denied a task within the assault.
Trump at his Saturday rally stated the Golan Heights incident “will go down as one other second in historical past created by a weak and ineffective United States president and vp.” And Vance on Sunday accused Harris of being “a catastrophe” on the battle.
Nonetheless, some Republicans are involved that Harris’ entrance has given Democrats a spark and that Trump must recalibrate.
Gov. Chris Sununu, R-N.H., stated Harris is in a “honeymoon” interval that can in all probability final a month, however he additionally stated that each Trump and Vance ought to cease the private assaults towards Harris as a result of these is not going to drive individuals to vote. As a substitute, he stated they need to keep on with the problems and “keep away from the insults.”
He stated Trump missed a chance to do this in current marketing campaign occasions, however “hopefully they’ll get again on observe.” Sununu, nevertheless, acknowledged that ”no person can get Donald Trump to do something” he doesn’t need to do.
“However hopefully the numbers, the polls, will get Donald Trump to understand what was working and what didn’t,” Sununu stated
Graham was on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Sununu was on ABC’s “This Week,” and Cotton was on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
Value reported from Waite Park, Minnesota, and Barrow from Cumming, Georgia. Related Press author Ali Swenson in New York contributed to this report.
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