Harris Issues a Debate Challenge in Battleground Georgia

 

Harris Issues a Debate Challenge in Battleground Georgia

 

During a boisterous rally in Atlanta, Vice President Kamala Harris challenged former President Donald J. Trump to keep his previous commitment to debate in September. A performance by Megan Thee Stallion energized the crowd.

 

Published July 30, 2024

Updated July 31, 2024, 12:51 a.m. ET

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/07/30/us/harris-trump-election

 

The vice president, speaking to thousands in Atlanta, poked fun at the former president’s reluctance to commit to a debate with her.

 

The momentum in this race is shifting. And there are signs that Donald Trump is feeling it. You may have noticed. So last week, you may have seen, he pulled out of the debate in September he had previously agreed to. So he won’t debate. But he and his running mate sure seem to have a lot to say about me. Well, Donald. I do hope you’ll reconsider to meet me on the debate stage. Because as the saying goes, if you’ve got something to say, say it to my face.

 

‘Say It to My Face’: Harris Rallies in Georgia with Challenge to Trump

 

Maggie Astor

Chris Cameron

Maggie Astor and Chris Cameron

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/07/30/us/harris-trump-election

 

Here’s the latest on the presidential race.

Vice President Kamala Harris challenged former President Donald J. Trump to meet her onstage in September, responding to his backtracking about a planned debate with a direct demand: “If you got something to say, say it to my face.”

 

Ms. Harris, rallying about 10,000 supporters in the battleground state of Georgia just over a week since the start of her campaign, highlighted her economic record and again contrasted her time as a prosecutor with Mr. Trump’s long history of legal troubles. Her speech at Georgia State University in Atlanta came after a performance by the rapper Megan Thee Stallion, the latest sign of the pop-culture momentum behind Ms. Harris.

 

The Democratic National Committee said that its delegates would hold a five-day virtual roll call starting Thursday to select Ms. Harris as the party’s nominee.

 

Here’s what to know:

 

Arizona Senate matchup set: Kari Lake, the Republican firebrand who fell short in her bid for governor in 2022, will square off against Representative Ruben Gallego in a high-stakes contest for the seat being vacated by Senator Kyrsten Sinema. Ms. Lake beat Mark Lamb, the Pinal County sheriff, while Mr. Gallego was unopposed.

 

A veepstakes update: How close is Ms. Harris to picking a running mate? She has already set a busy schedule for next week, starting in Philadelphia on Tuesday, with whoever is joining the ticket. Five people are said to remain in serious consideration: Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona; Governors Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Tim Walz of Minnesota and Andy Beshear of Kentucky; and Pete Buttigieg, the transportation secretary. Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina removed himself from consideration last week.

 

Project 2025 resignation: The director of Project 2025, the right-wing policy blueprint and personnel project prepared for the next Republican president that became a political cudgel used by Democrats, is departing after the effort drew criticism from Mr. Trump, who has sought to distance himself from the project. The director, Paul Dans, oversaw the collaborative effort across the conservative ecosystem led by the Heritage Foundation.

 

No attempt to quiet the uproar: Mr. Trump repeated his recent assertion that Christians will never have to vote again if they cast their ballots for him in November, brushing aside several requests to walk back or clarify the statement in a Fox News interview televised on Monday night. Mr. Trump’s initial comments, to a group of Christian conservatives on Friday, were interpreted by many Democrats as evidence he would end elections.

 

On the trail: Senator JD Vance of Ohio, Mr. Trump’s running mate, held two rallies in Nevada to start a series of campaign events in the Southwest. He used those appearances to hone lines of attack against Ms. Harris, denouncing her as a failed “border czar” and a “wacky San Francisco liberal.”

 

Dueling ads from Trump and Harris: Mr. Trump’s campaign is running a television ad in six battleground states that attacks Ms. Harris on immigration. And Ms. Harris released her first ad as the Democrats’ likely nominee. It labels her as “fearless” while leaning into her time as a local and state prosecutor.

 

Reid J. Epstein contributed reporting.