Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) urged former President Trump to stop criticising Vice President Harris's race and heritage on Sunday. Trump had questioned Vice President Harris's race in remarks that resembled "birtherism" conspiracies.
In an interview with 'Fox News Sunday', Graham said that Trump should instead focus on policy, not identity.
"So here's what I would say to President Trump. The problem I have with Kamala Harris is not her heritage; it is her judgment," he said. "Every day we're talking about her heritage and not her terrible, dangerous liberal record throughout her entire political life is a good day for her and a bad day for us. So I would encourage President Trump to prosecute the case against Kamala Harris's bad judgment."
In an interview conducted on Wednesday at the National Association of Black Journalists conference, Trump implied that Harris had lied about her colour in order to gain political advantage when he remarked that she "happened to turn Black."
In an apparent attempt to resemble his criticisms of the previous president Obama's ancestry and racist "birtherism" conspiracies, Trump also posted a copy of Harris' birth certificate on Truth Social.
Graham also added his voice to the ongoing dispute between Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and President Donald Trump on Sunday, advising the Republicans to "repair the damage" and concentrate on winning the crucial swing state.
"Georgia is there for the taking. I think Gov. Kemp was a great governor, lowering taxes, less regulation. I think if you voted for Kemp and you want to vote for Harris, that makes no sense. If we win, we're going to go well on our way to winning 270 electoral votes. If we lose Georgia, it could be a very long night," he said.
During his campaign speech in Atlanta on Saturday, Trump attacked Kemp personally on social media, branding the well-liked Republican governor as a "bad guy," "disloyal," and "very average governor." Invoking some of the same arguments that are at the heart of his felony accusation in Fulton County for his attempts to tamper with the results of the 2020 election, he accused Kemp of interfering with his attempts to win in Georgia.
Graham's Sunday speech was addressed directly to Trump, who he praised for a "incredible presidency" for Georgia and the country, while he also reminded the Republican nominee of the party's primary objective for November.
"Mr. President, this is your election to lose. It's important you win to reset a broken border and get the world in good order," Graham said. "Let's win this election, how about that? Let's win an election we can't afford to lose."
