Vice President Kamala Harris will swear in a new class of Senators on Friday, but many of the lawmakers receiving the oath of office have been among her most vocal and creative critics in recent months. At campaign rallies, on social media, and in interviews, several of these politicians have spread false claims about Harris, accusing her of plotting to ban Christmas, bring dog meat to immigrant kitchens, and manipulate elections through illegal voting by undocumented immigrants.
Three of the four Senators-elect who spoke at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee last year have also ridiculed Harris, often mispronouncing her name in the process. For Harris, this moment of political ritual is part of the tough reality faced by any Vice President, particularly those like herself, Al Gore, and Richard Nixon, who have lost their presidential bids but still return to the Capitol to fulfill their constitutional duties. The bruising experience of standing alongside political adversaries, who have often attacked them, is a harsh reality of their office.
Harris’s position has been further complicated by the arrival of some of her fiercest critics in Washington, where they now hold more power. Among them is Sen.-elect Bernie Moreno of Ohio, who has accused Harris of prioritizing the welfare of undocumented immigrants over that of U.S. citizens. Moreno, who won his seat by focusing on voters’ concerns about immigration, even fueled false rumors about people in Ohio eating dog meat as a result of Harris’s policies. Another critic, Sen.-elect Jim Banks of Indiana, used culture war rhetoric, claiming Harris sought to wage a “war on Christmas.”
Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas has also been vocal in his criticism, accusing Harris of orchestrating a flood of asylum seekers into the U.S. for political purposes, despite the fact that non-citizens cannot vote. Cruz’s rhetoric included claims that Ukrainian President Zelenskyy was using his visit to the U.S. as a campaign opportunity to back Harris’s political agenda.
Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, who aspired to lead the Senate but lost out, also joined in the attacks, accusing Harris of ignoring Florida’s post-hurricane recovery efforts and accusing her of promoting policies based on “racism.”
Despite the harsh criticisms and personal attacks, Harris is no stranger to the political game. A career prosecutor and former Senator, she understands the nature of her role as a political lightning rod. She is well aware that her opponents will use every opportunity to create division, often exaggerating differences between the two parties.
As she swears in the new class of Senators, Harris is also preparing for the upcoming transition. With the Senate shifting to Republican control, and the likely ascension of figures like Donald Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, Harris faces a new political landscape. But as always, she will navigate it with resilience, embracing the performative role of her office, while keeping a steady eye on her next political moves.
