Politics and elections revolve around perceptions. While Democrats have recently altered some of their imagery by promoting Vice President Harris as the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination, the GOP has also made strides in shaping their narrative.
It’s well-known that House Republicans find it challenging to govern effectively. Historically, they’ve had difficulty advancing their own legislative proposals. Recently, the House had to abandon plans for the annual Financial Services and Agriculture appropriations bills due to a lack of support. Consequently, House GOP leaders sent members home a week early for the “August recess,” resulting in no House sessions or votes until at least September 9.
However, optics are distinct from actual governance, which is why Republicans successfully enhanced their image just before the summer break.
To start, leaving a week earlier than initially scheduled allows Republicans to adjust their messaging, especially since Harris is now viewed as their primary political rival. The GOP can fine-tune their campaign to target Harris and, importantly, connect vulnerable Democrats to her.
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Republicans aim to associate vulnerable Democrats with “unpopular” Vice President Kamala Harris to undermine their re-election chances. (Getty Images)
“She’s a liability. She is the most unpopular Vice President in American history for a reason. People reject her policies,” stated Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), the formal organization focused on electing Republicans to the House.
“She has never connected with young voters,” Hudson mentioned. “Her political skills leave much to be desired.”
Republicans see Harris’s track record as an opening for their agenda. Given their diminished legislative activity, the Vice President’s presence provided them a significant opportunity.
Almost immediately after President Biden endorsed Harris, House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., introduced a resolution condemning Harris as the “border czar.” The House considered Stefanik’s resolution on Thursday, highlighting it as a significant moment for the unofficial start of the campaign season. Just before the recess, the House voted 220 to 196 to condemn Harris’s handling of border issues. All Republicans supported the resolution, with six moderate Democrats from competitive districts joining the GOP: Reps. Jared Golden, D-Maine., Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., Yadira Caraveo, D-Colo., Don Davis, D-N.C., Henry Cuellar, D-Tex., and Mary Peltola, D-Alaska.
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Republicans aimed to document this vote to challenge Democrats to denounce Harris or risk siding with her. They planned to use this roll call vote in advertisements targeting Democrats in tight races this fall.
Aware of the risks for both Harris and themselves, Democrats worked to redefine the vice president’s role regarding the border crisis. Some advocates provided talking points noting that the position of “border czar” is not official and that Harris was tasked with addressing root causes of the border situation, particularly focusing on curbing illegal migration from Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador.
Another piece of favorable optics for the GOP emerged in recent days.
Media outlets quickly reevaluating the “border czar” label for Vice President Harris aptly illustrates the ongoing optics battle of this election cycle. (REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein)
The GOP extended an invitation to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address a Joint Meeting of Congress last week. The party has expressed steadfast support for Netanyahu and Israel in its ongoing conflict with Hamas since last October. In contrast, Democrats are divided on this issue. Notably, many Democrats, including Vice President Harris, chose to skip the speech. Typically, the VP would co-chair this meeting alongside House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.
Netanyahu’s presence highlighted the fractures within the Democratic Party regarding the Middle East. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., supported Netanyahu’s invitation. However, Schumer notably did not shake Netanyahu’s hand during the greetings that preceded the speech. Meanwhile, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., quietly protested in the chamber, displaying a sign that read “War Criminal” on one side and “Guilty of Genocide” on the other.
“It was absurd. There is no place for that,” complained Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., who had previously confronted a witness with violence at a hearing last year. “I felt like going over there to take it from her — not that I would have — but I would have confronted her if it were a man.”
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Mullin further remarked that Tlaib “should not hold a position in Congress.”
While Tlaib, a Palestinian-American, demonstrated silently inside the House chamber, uproarious protesters gathered outside the Capitol. U.S. Capitol Police erected a large fence around the building, reminiscent of the barricade installed after the 2021 Capitol riot. One protester declared that the barriers transformed the heart of democracy into “Fort Netanyahu.”
Demonstrators opposing Israel’s stance also released mealworms and maggots at the Watergate Hotel, where Netanyahu was staying.
“Squad” member and Democratic Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s protest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech before Congress ignited backlash from her colleagues. (Getty Images)
You might think they only needed the “plumbers” at Watergate.
When Netanyahu delivered his remarks, clashes erupted between protesters and police outside Washington’s Union Station, adjacent to the Capitol. Protesters set fire to American flags and replaced them with Palestinian flags on poles in front of the station, while also spray painting “Hamas is Comin’” on statues.
Netanyahu disparaged the demonstrators as “Iran’s useful idiots.”
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The scene left Democrats unsettled.
“How ironic it is that the Prime Minister was discussing the burning of American flags when these demonstrators were simultaneously validating his words right behind the Capitol,” remarked Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla.
Republicans achieved their desired optics: a division within the Democratic Party over the Middle East issue. However, the confrontations with the police and the flag burning served to amplify their message.
Democratic Florida Rep. Jared Moskowitz observed that the anti-Israel demonstrators burning flags during Prime Minister Netanyahu’s congressional address were “proving him right” in real-time. (Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
By nightfall, the atmosphere calmed. That’s when Republicans executed additional political theater.
Rep. Brandon Williams, R-N.Y., while passing by Union Station en route to late-night House votes, decided to replace the Palestinian flags with American flags.
“This place has been defiled. Our flag was burned right here. If we don’t take action, we’re facing major issues in this country,” stated Johnson.
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Williams, Johnson, and a few other Republicans proceeded to the train station to remove the Palestinian flags and restore the American flag.
“We recognize that Palestinian flags were flown on these poles today. That was unacceptable,” Johnson declared. “They’re damaging public property and burning American flags, and we will not tolerate it.”
The GOP likely couldn’t have scripted it better: Leftist anti-Israel demonstrators burning the American flag, with Republican lawmakers retaking the U.S. flag?
Leftist, anti-Israel demonstrators burning the U.S. flag, only for it to be re-raised by Republican lawmakers come nightfall, illustrates a significant PR moment for the GOP. (Nathan Howard/Reuters)
What did we mention earlier about optics?
In total, various D.C. police agencies arrested 23 individuals linked to the protests, including six arrested inside the Capitol for breaking decorum during Netanyahu’s address.
Authorities later dropped charges against 11 protesters, much to the displeasure of Republicans. Nonetheless, the optics aligned with their narrative portraying Washington, D.C. as a “lawless place” with “weak prosecutors.” House Republicans immediately sought briefings on the events that unfolded in the District. The decision to not prosecute fit neatly into the GOP’s storyline as well.
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Heading into the August recess, Republicans didn’t boast about much legislation. But they seemingly triumphed in the optics battle.
