Kamala Harris visited Milwaukee on Tuesday for her first campaign rally since launching her presidential campaign. With strong support from the Democratic Party and an endorsement from President Joe Biden, Harris steps into the spotlight as the leading Democratic candidate aiming to challenge Donald Trump in the upcoming election.
Wisconsin is seen as a crucial battleground state. President Biden narrowly won it by about 20,000 votes in 2020. Harris is capitalising on this momentum, securing the support of 89 out of 95 Wisconsin delegates, including key endorsements from Senator Tammy Baldwin and Governor Tony Evers. The Wisconsin Democratic Party officially backs her nomination.
Ben Wikler, the chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party, emphasised the need for focus and unity to defeat Trump.
Harris is being criticised by prominent Republicans, including former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. Gingrich accused Harris of reportedly skipping Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress. Gingrich further criticised Harris as a San Francisco radical, suggesting a deep division between Republican and Democratic stances on U.S.-Israel relations.
Harris’ absence was due to her prior commitment to an event for the Zeta Phi Beta sorority in Indianapolis, scheduled before the date of Netanyahu’s address was set. The Vice President is set to meet separately with Netanyahu this week, where she plans to emphasise the importance of ending the Gaza conflict. Her message to Netanyahu will highlight security for Israel, the release of hostages, and the alleviation of Palestinian civilian suffering while also advocating for Palestinian rights to dignity, freedom, and self-determination.
Biden is focusing on securing a hostage release and ceasefire deal, expressing optimism to his campaign staff about ending the Gaza war in the coming weeks. However, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu noted a dramatic drop in US weapons deliveries for Israel’s war in Gaza, indicating potential strains in diplomatic relations.
Meanwhile, the US has resumed shipping 500-pound bombs to Israel but continues to withhold 2,000-pound bombs due to concerns about their use in densely populated Gaza areas. Amnesty International USA has raised concerns about the use of US-supplied weapons in what they say are severe violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, questioning the consistency of these actions with US policy.