Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are preparing to take center stage to debate abortion, illegal immigration, and the economy, the top issues for young, Black, Hispanic, and middle-class voters.
- Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are preparing to take center stage to debate abortion, illegal immigration, and the economy, the top issues for young, Black, Hispanic, and middle-class voters.
- In 2022, with the vote of the three justices appointed by Trump, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade ruling. “I am proudly the person responsible for that decision,” the Republican candidate stated recently.
- The political and ideological debate between Harris and Trump will also extend to the crisis caused by undocumented immigration from Latin America to the United States. However, on this issue—unlike abortion—the Democratic candidate will be at a disadvantage against her Republican opponent.
- Additionally, in the key states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, a significant portion of the electorate believes Biden did too little for regional economies and for the income levels of the working class. Against this backdrop, Harris and Trump will compete for the independent, Hispanic, Black, and middle-class vote.
- “President Biden’s legacy is unprecedented in modern history, surpassing the legacies of many presidents who served two terms in just one,” Harris has said so far.
The issues of abortion, immigration, and the economy—key topics for the candidates—reflect opposing views, and their campaign speeches will not only aim to politically wear down their opponent but also to win over independent voters in the key states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
In an election that now appears tight, following Harris’s entry in place of Joseph Biden, their positions on abortion, illegal immigration, and the economy could determine whether they reach the White House.
During the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump promised he would appoint Supreme Court justices to overturn the legal consequences of the Roe v. Wade decision, which had established the right to abortion in the United States.
In 2022, with the vote of the three justices appointed by Trump, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade ruling. “I am proudly the person responsible for that decision,” the Republican candidate stated recently.
He added: “My view is that now that we have abortion where everyone wanted it from a legal standpoint, the states will determine it by vote or legislation, or perhaps both, and whatever they decide should be the law of the land—in this case, the law of the state.”
When the Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Harris took the lead in a national campaign in support of abortion rights. During the midterm elections, the candidate secured a majority vote for the Democratic Party.
At that time—November 2022—abortion was the second-highest priority in U.S. public opinion, with inflation as the top social concern. Now, at the start of the 2024 campaign, abortion also remains a key issue for most independent voters.
“I was attorney general in California and a court prosecutor before that. In those roles, I confronted all kinds of perpetrators: predators who abused women, scammers who deceived consumers, cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain… so believe me when I say I know exactly the kind of person Donald Trump is,” Harris stated in her first speech as the Democratic candidate.
The political and ideological debate between Harris and Trump will also extend to the crisis caused by undocumented immigration from Latin America to the United States. However, on this issue—unlike abortion—the Democratic candidate will be at a disadvantage against her Republican opponent.
In 2021, at Biden’s direct instruction, Harris was tasked with addressing illegal immigration in the so-called Northern Triangle, which includes El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The vice president failed in that government role, and from that point on, she remained in the shadows while supporting the Democratic administration’s agenda.
Meanwhile, Biden relied on some of Trump’s political decisions to curb undocumented immigration, a stance that contradicts the traditional view of the Democratic Party and will put Harris in an electoral dilemma: not only because Biden’s unexpected measures worked to reduce the number of immigrants, but also because this issue will be a turning point in the campaign.
On this issue, Trump has no doubts: “I will end the illegal immigration crisis by closing the border and finishing the wall, which is already well underway. What could be better than this: we must stop this invasion of our country, which is killing hundreds of thousands of people every year. We will not allow this to continue,” the Republican candidate said in his acceptance speech.
Biden stepped aside, but the election campaign will revolve around his administration. In this context, the economic situation will pit Harris against Trump. The Democratic administration managed to maintain employment and growth rates but has been heavily criticized for inflation affecting household budgets.
Additionally, in the key states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, a significant portion of the electorate believes Biden did too little for regional economies and for the income levels of the working class. Against this backdrop, Harris and Trump will compete for the independent, Hispanic, Black, and middle-class vote.
“Nearly four in ten Black children live in poverty, while 58% of young Black Americans are unemployed. Two million more Hispanics live in poverty since President Obama took office less than eight years ago,” Trump said at the Republican convention.
He added: “Another 14 million people have completely dropped out of the workforce. Household incomes have fallen by more than $4,000 since the year 2000. Our trade deficit has reached nearly $800 billion—just think about that—just last year. We will fix that.”
Harris has not yet responded to Trump’s economic criticisms. She has requested reports from the Treasury Secretary, and her campaign team is already preparing political arguments to counter the Republican candidate’s electoral offensive.
“President Biden’s legacy is unprecedented in modern history, surpassing the legacies of many presidents who served two terms in just one,” Harris has said so far.
But that will be her campaign’s focus: defending the legacy left by the U.S. president and providing a direct response to each of Trump’s criticisms about the economic situation during the campaign months.
Harris aims to be the first woman to reach the Oval Office. Trump dreams of returning to the White House. It will be an unprecedented political battle, and the outcome remains wide open.
Image: Infobae
