U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris sharply criticized Donald Trump on Tuesday during her first campaign rally since succeeding President Joe Biden as the Democratic presidential candidate. A Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll revealed Harris holding a marginal lead over her Republican opponent.
In a 17-minute speech, Harris targeted Trump’s vulnerabilities, contrasting her experience as a former prosecutor with his record as a convicted felon.
Harris outlined her liberal agenda, promising to expand abortion access, facilitate union membership, and tackle gun violence, drawing a clear distinction from Trump, the Republican nominee for the November 5 election.
“Donald Trump wants to take our country backward,” she told a cheering crowd of several thousand at West Allis Central High School in a Milwaukee suburb in Wisconsin, a key battleground state.
“Do we want to live in a country of freedom, compassion, and rule of law, or a country of chaos, fear, and hate?”
The lively rally stood in contrast to the smaller, more subdued events held by Biden, highlighting Democrats’ hopes that Harris, 59, can rejuvenate what had been a faltering campaign under Biden, 81. The audience danced and waved Harris signs, chanting “Ka-ma-la!” as she took the stage.
Harris emphasized her commitment to reproductive rights, a contentious issue for Republicans since the U.S. Supreme Court, with three Trump-appointed justices, ended the nationwide right to abortion in 2022.
Harris led Trump 44% to 42% among registered voters in the national Reuters/Ipsos poll, conducted on Monday and Tuesday after Biden exited the race on Sunday and endorsed Harris as his successor. A Reuters/Ipsos poll last week showed Biden trailing Trump by two percentage points before ending his campaign.
