Kamala Harris Calls Out ‘ unserious’ Trump During Arizona Visit

Vice President Kamala Harris made a significant appearance in Arizona, emphasizing the contrasting visions of her campaign compared to former President Donald Trump. Speaking to a crowd of nearly 1,000 at the Rawhide Event Center on the Gila River Indian Community Reservation, she underscored the theme of change as pivotal to the upcoming election. “This election is about two very different visions,” Harris stated. “One is focused on the past. The other, ours, is focused on the future.”

This visit marks Harris’s return to Arizona since she became the first vice president to visit the sovereign tribal nation last summer. In a 30-minute speech, she presented herself as an underdog 26 days ahead of what has been termed “the most consequential election in our lifetimes.” The anticipation among her supporters was palpable as she declared, “We have some hard work ahead of us, but we like hard work. And with your help in 26 days, we will win.”

Recent polls indicate a tight race, with Trump leading Harris by a slim margin. Throughout her speech, Harris focused heavily on economic issues, pledging support for first-time homeowners, aid for entrepreneurs, and measures to curb corporate price gouging, along with expanded Medicare coverage for seniors.

Harris did not shy away from critiquing Trump’s policies. “Donald Trump will give billionaires and corporations massive tax cuts,” she asserted, further accusing him of intending to cut Medicare and Social Security. She also addressed Trump’s long-standing opposition to the Affordable Care Act, noting that he proposed only vague “concepts of a plan” without a concrete replacement.

The crowd responded passionately, chanting “we aren’t going back” as she pushed forward with her message. Harris condemned Trump for influencing the U.S. Supreme Court decisions that led to the overturning of Roe v. Wade and described Arizona’s abortion laws as “immoral.” “One does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree that the government should not be telling her what to do,” she emphasized, drawing loud applause.

The former president’s threat to democracy also featured prominently in her speech, as she recalled a 2022 social media post in which he called for the “termination” of constitutional rules during his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results.

Arizona has seen a surge of campaign activity recently, with Harris’s visit following Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s address to veterans in Chandler. Concurrently, Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance spoke to likely Trump voters in Tucson. Meanwhile, Harris’s husband, Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, engaged with “Republicans for Harris” in Mesa.

Emhoff remarked, “There is nothing more conservative than putting country over party.” Many attendees expressed that Trump’s rhetoric and moral ambiguity influenced their political shift. Mesa City Council member Julie Spilsbury, a Republican supporting Harris, stated, “We have to vote character over policy. I don’t have to give up my morals.”

Amidst fears of repercussions for anti-Trump sentiments, Spilsbury hopes her public stance will inspire others. Former elementary school teacher Annie Lewis expressed disillusionment with current Republican candidates, stating her aspiration for the party to return to its traditional values.

As the political landscape heats up, Trump is set to hold a rally in Prescott this Sunday. Harris’s recent appearance marked her seventh campaign visit to Arizona this election cycle, with her prior visit occurring at the U.S.-Mexico border in September.