Vice President Kamala Harris is set to announce new campaign proposals centered on enhancing U.S. manufacturing in a speech scheduled for Wednesday at the Economic Club of Pittsburgh, according to a senior campaign official.
These proposals are part of Harris’s broader strategy to position herself as an ally to the business community rather than an adversary. The official, who wished to remain anonymous ahead of the public speech, stated that Harris’s address would articulate a “pragmatic” economic approach that emphasizes capitalism, innovation, and government limitations over rigid ideological positions.
The vice president aims to demonstrate her support for the private sector as a strategy to strengthen the middle class, a core element of her emerging economic agenda.
Harris’s speech is intended to counter arguments from her Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump, who has characterized her as the “Democrats’ radical left candidate” and a threat to the U.S. economy. During a recent event in Savannah, Georgia, Trump claimed that Harris’s policies would lead to U.S. deindustrialization and national decline. He also detailed his own manufacturing proposals, which include an expanded tax credit for research and development, the appointment of a specialized “manufacturing ambassador,” and the implementation of stringent tariffs on imports to promote domestic production.
In her response on Wednesday, Harris plans to underscore her middle-class roots and her extensive political experience. She will highlight her tenure as California Attorney General, where she worked with companies on privacy concerns, and her role as vice president, emphasizing efforts to channel more capital to community banks and small businesses.
During her eight-week-old presidential campaign, Harris’s economic stance has largely aligned with President Joe Biden’s agenda. She has focused on reducing costs for essentials such as food, housing, and childcare, accusing corporations of excessive price manipulation leading to disproportionate profit margins. Harris has even proposed a federal ban on price gouging in the food and grocery sectors, a suggestion that faced criticism from economists across the political spectrum due to insufficient evidence that corporate price-fixing significantly drives high consumer prices.
In recent weeks, Harris has moderated her rhetoric towards corporate America. For instance, in a speech to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, she condemned price gouging but clarified that it was the practice of only a limited number of corporations.
Wednesday’s speech is expected to reflect this shift in tone, potentially presenting more industrial policy goals akin to Biden’s approach. Harris will also affirm her readiness to hold accountable any corporate entities engaging in detrimental practices.
With just 41 days remaining until Election Day and early voting already underway in several states, the Harris campaign views her Pittsburgh address as a crucial opportunity to erode Trump’s longstanding advantage with voters on economic issues.
Recent polls indicate that Harris’s efforts are showing results. A Financial Times-Michigan Ross September poll of 1,002 registered voters found Harris with a narrow two-percentage point lead over Trump on economic issues. Although within the poll’s margin of error, this result shows Harris gaining ground against her Republican opponent. Other reputable polls, including those from AP-NORC, NBC News, and Fox News, also indicate Harris closing Trump’s lead on economic matters by significant margins following their first presidential debate on September 10.