WASHINGTON (AP) — With the end of her abbreviated presidential campaign in sight, Kamala Harris is trying to put the focus squarely on Donald Trump and his threat to democratic institutions, echoing the strategy used by Joe Biden before he ended his reelection bid. It's a bet that fear of the former Republican president can rally Harris supporters and nudge undecided voters to her side in the final days. Harris' challenge will be connecting philosophical questions about American democracy with the everyday concerns of individual Americans.
The effort will be on full display Tuesday, when Harris delivers what her team describes as her closing argument from the Ellipse, the grassy space adjacent to the National Mall in Washington. It’s the same place where Trump stood when he urged his supporters to march on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 , in what became a bloody attempt to prevent the certification of Biden’s election victory.
By her choice of location, the vice president is drawing attention to Trump's quest for unchecked power, an issue that also animated Biden's aborted reelection campaign. Biden spoke frequently about the battle for democratic values — sometimes, according to his critics, to the detriment of economic concerns. Since replacing Biden at the top of the ticket, Harris has tried to reassure voters that she will bring down the costs of groceries and housing.
She's also put more distance between herself and Biden, promising “a new approach” if elected. .
