‘Is this an Obamesque moment?’: GOP strategist says it’ll be ‘difficult’ to beat Harris if race isn’t ‘about policies’

Republican strategist Shermichael Singleton on Monday warned it will be challenging to defeat Vice President Kamala Harris if the presidential race is more about making history than policy.

Former President Barack Obama’s chief campaign strategist David Axelrod said in July that Harris is “smart not to” campaign on becoming the first black female president of the United States. However, Singleton, on “CNN News Central,” suggested that Harris’ racial and gender identity may make her “difficult” to beat because there’s the “opportunity” to make history by voting for her.

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‘Is It The Obamesque Moment?’: GOP Strategist Says It’ll Be ‘Difficult’ To Beat Harris If Race Isn’t ‘About Policies’ pic.twitter.com/nCsH9iBJ06

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“What we’ve seen, 28 days of energy with women. We’ve seen the vice president improve her numbers with Hispanic voters, black voters. She still has some room to go there, not enough for a Democrat,” Singleton told host John Berman. “I think, overall though, if you’re looking at this race from the Republicans’ perspective, the big question, at least for me is, can she improve the margins in the battleground states? Those four that made the difference, less than 100,000 votes in 2020. If those numbers continue to shift, John, then you become incredibly nervous.”

“Because what that showcases is that it’s … no longer about policies. This has really become a cultural phenomenon. And attempting to develop a strategy to attack that becomes difficult … that’s not about white papers or well, the economy should be here. People aren’t feeling it. This is, are you excited about a moment that could change history? And that’s very difficult to compete against,” he added. “And I have to be honest about that.”

One Chicago male voter told “Fox and Friends” co-host Lawrence Jones Monday that he’ll be voting for Harris because it would be “historical,” while a female voter told Jones there is “definitely a lot more pressure” to vote for Harris because of her race and gender.

“Is it the Obamesque moment? I’m not certain yet, but I would be objective to say I think it has the potential to get there,” Singleton said. “Look, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a black woman to potentially become the president.”

Obama, the nation’s first black president, beat his Republican opponent then- Sen. John McCain of Arizona by over 7% in 2008, according to The American Presidency Project. Obama’s campaign moved his Democratic National Committee acceptance speech that year to the Denver Broncos’ football stadium to hold a larger audience, according to The New York Times.

The former president’s inauguration in 2009 drew 1.8 million people, according to ABC News.

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