New York: Donald Trump touted his plan to end taxation on tips at a stop in Las Vegas, trying to turn the page on a week in which he was overshadowed by Kamala Harris and struggled to keep focus on policy issues and not personal attacks on his opponent.
From a lectern set up at a Mexican restaurant a day after Harris formally accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination for president, the Republican presidential candidate spoke about his plan to eliminate taxes on 100 per cent of tips to waiters and other service employees. He also talked about his campaign’s efforts to court Hispanic voters in Nevada, a battleground state that could help determine the November 5 election, and nationwide.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump is seen through a window in the kitchen of the ll Toro E La Capra Mexican restaurant in Las Vegas.Credit: AP
The tax proposal is one pillar of Trump’s economic agenda and the kind of issue his advisers have been pressing him to focus on rather than his frequent personal attacks against Harris’ looks, heritage and intelligence, warning they could turn off the moderate voters he needs to win.
Trump’s comments come after the vice president’s a muscular speech that laid down broad foreign policy principles and sharp contrasts with Trump with 11 weeks left until election day.
Throughout the four-day Democratic convention Trump counter-programmed with events of his own around the country, hoping to steal some media attention from Harris. However, his speeches on foreign policy, the economy and crime did little to dislodge the spotlight from her and received little attention, a stunning turnabout for a politician used to dominating headlines.
Trump and his aides are hoping the boisterous convention finale marked the end of the “honeymoon” period for Harris, who emerged as the Democratic candidate little more than a month ago after President Joe Biden exited the race.
During Harris’ acceptance speech in Chicago, Trump attacked her with dozens of posts on his Truth Social platform, calling her a liar, a “Marxist” and “Comrade Kamala Harris”. With one post in all caps he simply asked: “IS SHE TALKING ABOUT ME?”
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump dances at a campaign rally at the Desert Diamond Arena in Arizona a day after Kamala Harris’ nomination.Credit: AP
William Rosenberg, a political science professor at Drexel University, said Trump’s personal attacks on Harris underscored his frustration with having to face a biracial woman, a task complicated by his history of making racist remarks.