In an attempt to attract voters in battleground Michigan, former President Donald Trump's campaign on Thursday began running an ad attacking Vice President Kamala Harris over electric vehicles.
Axios last month reported that Harris' campaign refused to say whether the Democrat presidential nominee supports requiring automakers to build only electric or hydrogen vehicles by 2035 — a position she took when she ran for the nomination in 2020.
Doing so could cost Harris dearly among blue-collar autoworkers in Detroit and elsewhere.
Seeking to exploit Harris' support of the EV mandate, the Trump campaign unleashed a 30-second ad in Michigan, which is considered one of seven key swing states that likely will determine the election outcome.
"Kamala Harris supports EV mandates, killing Michigan jobs," a male voice says to begin the ad. "She wants to end all gas-powered cars. Crazy, but true. Harris' push requiring electric only is failing big and Michigan autoworkers are paying the price. Massive layoffs already started. She could tank Michigan's whole economy. President Trump will kill the Biden-Harris EV mandates. Save Michigan jobs and cut middle-class taxes."
Axios' Alex Thompson posted the video ad on X on Thursday with the comment, "Trump campaign began airing this ad focused on EV's in Michigan today, per @AdImpact_Pol"
The video ad shows Harris inserting an electric plug into a car, an auto plant assembly line, and a couple of autoworkers while several newspaper headlines appear on the screen. They include:
- Harris' "unpopular EV mandate" — Free Beacon
- "Ford reports loss on every EV sold" — Washington Examiner 4/28/24
- "GM scales back EV plans" — Wall Street Journal 10/24/23
- "Massive Layoffs Hit Michigan" — Newsweek 3/28/24
- "Mounting Auto Industry Layoffs" — Crain's Business Detroit 4/12/24
- "Middle-class tax cuts" — Newsweek 7/22/24
One former Democrat and unionized autoworker told the BBC earlier this month he spends part of his days building EVs for Ford as a machine repairman but he would never buy one.
"It could definitely cost us our jobs, and it already has cost a lot of people their jobs," a man named Doug, a Warren, Michigan resident, told the outlet.
The man, who refused to give his last name for fear of his union, added that pressure from his union leadership to support Democrats had turned him off.
"You must be a Democrat, or you're totally exiled," he said.
President Joe Biden won Michigan in 2020 by only 2.78%. The Associated Press exit polls showed Biden's strength in the state came from union households, who composed 21% of the electorate and supported Biden by 56%–42%.