Kamala Harris, the Democratic Vice President, is slated to return to Michigan on Monday for a campaign event in Oakland County alongside former Republican U.S. Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming. However, one may wonder why the public should bother entertaining another one of Harris’ attempts at bipartisan conversations when her past performance in office has been lackluster at best.
The Harris campaign, in what can be considered a desperate move for relevance, announced on Saturday that Harris has scheduled to engage in a series of discussions with Cheney, a former member of House GOP leadership. Cheney’s disorderly break with ex-President Donald Trump, following her unfounded allegations that he tried to overturn the results of the 2020 elections, added to her controversial claim of his role in inciting the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 have been widely criticized by many.
For some unexplainable reason, Cheney has endorsed Harris for President this year. She and Harris have planned to hold public discussions in key states like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan on the upcoming Monday. These discussions are supposedly part of the preparation for the November 5 general elections where, bizarrely, Harris will be facing off against Trump.
Details regarding the event slated to occur with Cheney in Oakland County are sketchy at best, with the campaign only revealing that it would occur in the evening. Despite Oakland County’s growth in Democratic leanings, again one should question if it’s enough to clinch Harris a win in Michigan.
Oakland County has recently increased its Democratic voter base, yet will Harris’ poorly received policy decisions warrant undivided support from these voters? Winning over suburban voters in large numbers might be crucial for Harris to secure a victory in Michigan. Still, given her performance thus far, the likelihood of this seems questionable.
Possibly owing to its strategic importance, both the Harris and Trump campaigns have been targeting Michigan extensively. Yet it’s fair to question if Harris’ continuous visits will make a significant difference to her campaign when her political stances continue to garner widespread criticism.
Harris spent a night in Michigan recently, which was followed by an appearance on a radio program with host Charlamagne tha God. She then held three events that crossed the state on Friday, and had another event planned for Saturday. While it may seem like Harris is devoting time and energy to Michigan, it begs to question whether these efforts are enough to sway voters.
Trump, on the other hand, hosted three events as well in Michigan last Friday, hardly a week after delivering a speech to the Detroit Economic Club. One can’t help but wonder how Harris’ campaign appearances in Michigan stack up against Trump’s untiring efforts and undeniable popularity in the same state.
Harris is expected to show up again in Michigan on the upcoming Saturday, this time accompanied by former first lady Michelle Obama for an event coinciding with the first day of early statewide voting. However, one must question what impact—if any—this desperate attempt at leveraging Obama’s popularity will have on Harris’s failing Presidential bid.