Washington: US Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday said she was "scared as heck" that former President Donald Trump could win another term in the White House after the upcoming elections and pledged an aggressive campaign to ensure that does not happen. Her remarks came after several Democrats, including former President Barack Obama, expressed concern about President Joe Biden's re-election campaign.
"I am scared as heck! Which is why I'm traveling our country. You know, there's an old saying that there's only two ways to run for office — either without an opponent or scared. So on all of those points, yes, we should all be scared," said Harris on ABC's 'The View'. "When we are scared for the future of our children, do we then stay in bed with the covers over? No, we can't," she added.
The vice president is scheduled to begin a series of events focused on abortion in Wisconsin, a key battleground state. The events for Democrats will begin on Monday, on the 51st anniversary of Roe v Wade, the Supreme Court decision that protected the right to an abortion. The court's conservative majority overturned the nationwide right to abortion in 2022, a significant defeat for Democrats.
“In this year of our Lord 2024, the government should not be telling women what to do with their bodies, and so it's that basic," Harris said while asserting that the Democrats will have to earn re-election. She described a choice between “competence versus chaos," as well as a battle for the future of American democracy.
Trump's success ahead of US polls
Harris' concerns come as Trump secured a landslide victory in the Iowa presidential elections, cementing his position as the dominating Republican candidate and setting the stage for a 2020 rematch with Biden. Although one of the least surprising victories, Trump registered an unprecedented margin as he left behind DeSantis, who was in second place, by a massive 32,840 votes.
The former President has won 20 out of the 40 delegates from Iowa, while DeSantis and Haley got eight and seven delegates respectively. The results affirmed Trump's unparalleled dominance in the Republican camp and his high popularity despite four major criminal indictments against him.
However, the road ahead is not easy for Trump as he continues to face substantial challenges to his campaign, including multiple criminal indictments and ongoing legal battles in courtrooms across the country. He has also been removed from the primary ballots of two states - Colorado and Maine. However, Trump has framed his legal issues as "political attacks" arguing he is the victim of a "witch hunt" as he vies for another term.
However, several polls show Biden lagging in a direct contest with Trump, putting a dark shadow on the chances of Democrats to return if the former President becomes the final candidate for Republicans. According to a new poll, Trump is leading Biden by eight percentage points in Georgia. Another poll showed three Republican aspirants, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, ahead of Biden, The Hill reported.
(with inputs from AP)
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