A high-profile Republican strategist says the GOP should steer clear of "stupid crap" while attacking Vice President Kamala Harris as she gears up her campaign against former President Donald Trump.
Scott Jennings, a frequent CNN commentator, told Politico that Republicans needed to improve their messaging in the wake of recent remarks by GOP House members who derided Harris, who's of Black and South Asian descent, as a "DEI vice president" and "DEI hire," using the abbreviation for diversity, equity and inclusion.
"Bag the stupid crap and just focus on her record, statements and work under President Joe Biden. More than enough there," Jennings said in a Monday report. "With any luck she'll spend the next two weeks disavowing her entire record, which of course will make her seem hollow to voters."
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has also reportedly urged GOP lawmakers to tone down their rhetoric, telling reporters after a closed-door meeting last week that Harris' "ethnicity or her gender have nothing to do with this whatsoever."
But another Republican strategist told Politico it was far from clear that hard core Trump supporters would heed the advice, telling Politico by text, "I am not so sure the entire MAGA Universe will sing from the song sheet immediately."
The unidentified GOP consultant also acknowledged there was "no question Kamala has the momentum" following Biden's surprise July 21 decision to drop his reelection bid and endorse Harris to replace him.
"The campaign seems to have realized that and will try to set the tone this week," the strategist said.
An insider who recently spoke with Harris told Politico that she wasn't "blinded" by the surge of enthusiasm for her candidacy and that she "understands the work that needs to be done."
Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the former president's strategy hadn't changed and would focus in part on policies Leavitt called "even more liberal" than Biden's, as well as Harris' support of the president's "failed agenda over the past four years."
On Friday, Trump called Harris a "bum" during a speech in which he also urged Christians to vote for him, saying, "You won't have to do it anymore. Four more years, you know what? It'll be fixed. It'll be fine. You won't have to vote anymore."
Harris' campaign denounced Trump's remarks as a "vow to end democracy," with spokesperson James Singer saying Trump would bring "violence if he loses, the end of our elections if he wins, and the termination of the Constitution to allow him to be a dictator."
