Kamala Harris is causing a far-right meltdown
Also inside: how big tech billionaires are lining up to support the Trump-Vance ticket
What a two weeks it’s been since we were last in your inbox. One presidential nominee was nearly assassinated, while the other ended his campaign and endorsed his vice president.
And since Joe Biden decided to stand down his campaign and pass the torch to Kamala Harris on Sunday, she has consolidated support among Democrats, donors, and the grassroots, with a massive outpouring of enthusiasm (and money) propelling her towards the nomination. Democrats and the anti-MAGA coalition are energized, while on the right, things have gone predictably off the rails.
Since Biden stepped aside, Republican politicians, right-wing media figures, and MAGA influencers have flooded the internet with a slew of racist, sexist, and outright bizarre conspiracy theories.
They include a revival of birtherism claims regarding Harris’ citizenship and eligibility to run for president, the claim that Barack Obama has been secretly running the White House and is seeking his fourth term as president through Harris, that Biden’s decision to end his campaign is part of a “coup” to steal the election from Trump, and my personal favorite: a deranged conspiracy theory that somehow includes Harris being part of a cult, wearing a purple suit, and Lisa from The Simpsons.
Far-right figures have have also suggested that Harris shouldn’t be able to run for president because she only has step-children and not biological children, that only people with biological children should be able to vote, that Harris should be disqualified from running for office because of her mother’s name, and that — wait for it – Harris isn’t actually Black.
If you want to go further down that rabbit hole with me, well, you know what to do:
More from COURIER’s other newsrooms:
FLORIDA
Florida Democrats rally around Kamala Harris after Biden ends campaign
From Floricua: “Many vulnerable communities across the country will not survive another Trump Administration,” Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost wrote, as he called for Democrats to rally around Vice President Harris.
NORTH CAROLINA
Could Gov. Roy Cooper be the next vice president?
From Cardinal & Pine: Cooper may not be as well known as some of the other names on Kamala Harris’ list of choices, but he makes a lot of sense. To start: He is more popular in North Carolina than Donald Trump.
WISCONSIN
Big tech billionaires line up behind Donald Trump and JD Vance
From Up North News: Silicon Valley billionaires such as Elon Musk, Marc Andreessen, and Chamath Palihapitiya have thrown their support behind a Trump-Vance ticket, and some even urged the former president to pick Vance as his running mate.
NEVADA
Kamala Harris has spent years fighting for reproductive freedom. Here’s what to know.
From The Nevadan: Harris has a longstanding history of advocating for reproductive rights, something she’s sure to highlight on the campaign trail as she seeks to paint a stark contrast between herself and former president Donald Trump.
IOWA
Project 2025 is already happening in Iowa
From Iowa Starting Line: Some of Project 2025’s loftier ambitions have already been implemented in red states, including Iowa, a Petrie dish for conservative legislation for nearly a decade.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
MAGA has a racist meltdown
From Granite Post: While the GOP nominated JD Vance—who approved of Trump’s efforts to undermine the 2020 election—as the next vice presidential candidate, its core base seems to be spewing racist comments at Vance’s Indian-origin wife, Usha.
VIRGINIA
These Republicans use violent language. And now, they’ve spoken at the RNC.
From Dogwood: Since the attempt on Donald Trump’s life, there’s been a growing spotlight on the violent rhetoric in our politics. But there were also several far-right speakers at the RNC who themselves have used extremely violent language.
PENNSYLVANIA
PA Speaker Joanna McClinton explains how Kamala Harris inspired her path to leadership
From The Keystone: McClinton’s admiration for Harris dates back to 2005, when McClinton was a law student working inside the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office, and she had the opportunity to listen to Harris speak.
ARIZONA
This new AZ grad is running for school board against far-right extremists
From Copper Courier: “[School boards] should remain a nonpartisan race. When people look at their ballot and they go down to the school board and they see Mikah Dyer, I want them to look me up, and see my top priorities.”
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