Politics is an optics game – and Vice President Harris‘ likely nomination for the presidency brings that game to the forefront of an already polarizing campaign.
Politics and elections are about optics. And while Democrats may have shifted some of their optics of late by propelling Vice President Harris to the perch of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, the GOP also bolstered some of its optics of late, too.
It’s no secret that House Republicans struggle to govern. They historically wrestle in their efforts to pass their own legislative initiatives. The House had to bag plans to adopt the annual Financial Services and Agriculture appropriations bills because it lacked the votes. So House GOP leaders cut members loose a week early for the „August recess.“ That means no House session this week. And no votes in the House until at least September 9.
But, optics are different from governing. And that’s why Republicans were able to fortify some of their optics, just ahead of the summer break.
First off, escaping Dodge a week earlier than planned gives Republicans extra time to recalibrate their message now that Harris is their main political opponent. GOPers can now tune their message to campaign against Harris. And perhaps more importantly, attempt to link vulnerable Democrats to Harris.
„She’s a drag too. She’s the most unpopular Vice President in American history for a reason. People reject their policies“, said Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC). That’s the formal organization devoted to electing Republicans to the House.
„She’s never resonated with young voters“, said Hudson. „She’s a horrible politician.“
Republicans believe Harris’s body of work gives them opportunity. And since they frittered away their floor traffic, the Vice President provided them with a major opportunity.
Within hours of President Biden endorsing Harris, House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., authored a resolution to condemn Harris for her role as „border czar.“ The House took up Stefanik’s resolution on Thursday – deploying it as a punctuation point for the unofficial start of the campaign season. On the final vote before the recess, the House voted 220 to 196 to condemn how Harris handled the border. All Republicans voted yea. But six moderate Democrats – all from battleground districts – sided with the GOP. They were Reps. Jared Golden, D-Maine., Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., Yadira Caraveo, D-Colo., Don Davis, D-N.C., Henry Cueller, D-Tex., and Mary Peltola, D-Alaska.
Republicans wanted to document this vote to either dare Democrats to decry Harris – or put them on the record as supporting her.
