US Vice-President Kamala Harris has launched a strong attack on Donald Trump during the first rally of her presidential campaign, framing November’s election as a choice between a former prosecutor and a convicted felon.
Speaking to around 3,000 supporters in the key battleground state of Wisconsin, Harris compared her Republican opponent to the fraudsters she had previously prosecuted.
Trump, in response, criticized her record on border issues, posting on social media, “Lyin’ Kamala Harris destroys everything she touches!”
This rally comes a day after Harris secured the backing of a majority of Democratic delegates, clearing her path to become the party’s nominee.
On Sunday, President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the race and endorsed Harris amid growing pressure from top Democrats and donors following his poor performance in a debate against Trump in late June.
The Harris campaign quickly gained momentum, raising over $100 million (£77 million) within 36 hours of Biden’s exit.
Adding to her momentum, a new national poll by Reuters and Ipsos shows her with a narrow two-point lead over Trump, 44% to 42%.
On Tuesday, addressing a cheering crowd at a high school in a Milwaukee suburb, Harris emphasized her experience as California’s attorney general.
“I took on perpetrators of all kinds,” she said. “Predators who abused women. Fraudsters who ripped off consumers. Cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain.”
“So hear me when I say I know Donald Trump’s type,” Ms Harris added. “In this campaign, I promise you, I will proudly put my record against his any day of the week.”
In response, the crowd shouted “Kamala! Kamala!” Some observers noted that the audience’s enthusiasm contrasted with that seen at Biden events this electoral cycle.
When her Republican opponent’s name was mentioned, many attendees chanted “lock him up,” mirroring the chants at Trump events during his 2016 campaign against Hillary Clinton.
In response, Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, about a poll indicating that Harris is the most unpopular vice-president in US history.
He also highlighted a post noting that she was rated by the non-partisan congressional scorekeeper GovTrack as one of the most left-wing senators during her tenure.
In her speech, Harris outlined several liberal priorities, including gun control, abortion access, child poverty, union rights, and affordable healthcare.
“Do we want to live in a country of freedom, compassion and rule of law, or a country of chaos, fear and hate?” she said.
Whether Ms Harris can maintain her momentum is unclear. In a memo released Tuesday, pollster Tony Fabrizio predicted her “honeymoon” period with voters would end and that there would be a “refocus on her role as Biden’s partner and co-pilot”.
The Trump campaign is attacking Ms Harris’ “failure” to stem a record influx of illegal immigrants at the US-Mexico border. It has also signalled that it will slam the Biden-Harris administration’s record on crime and inflation.
A Tuesday afternoon email from the Republican nominee’s team accused her of bailing out “accused murderers, rapists and other violent offenders”, insulting Israel and deceiving the US public about Mr Biden’s “cognitive decline”.
During a call with reporters, Trump said of Ms Harris: “She’s a radical left person, but this country doesn’t want a radical left person to destroy it.
“I think she should be easier than Biden, because he was slightly more mainstream, but not much.”
Trump also said he was open to debating her in September, when he was originally due to face Biden on ABC News.
“I haven’t agreed to anything,” he said. “I agreed to a debate with Joe Biden. But I want to debate her. She’ll be no different.”
Most Democratic lawmakers, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, have already backed Harris’ candidacy.
Entertainers such as George Clooney, Barbra Streisand, Jamie Lee Curtis, and other Hollywood stars have also endorsed her, potentially boosting her campaign with significant donations.
Her campaign is currently evaluating potential running mates.
On Wednesday, President Biden will address the nation from the Oval Office to explain his decision to withdraw from the race. He returned to the White House on Tuesday after several days of recovery from Covid.
In Washington, Republican Representative Andy Ogles from Tennessee has introduced articles of impeachment against Harris, accusing her of high crimes and misdemeanours related to her immigration policies at the border. This resolution is unlikely to progress.