Exclusive: Harris? Newsom? Whitmer? GOP delegates dish on who they want Trump to face

MILWAUKEE — With Republican faithful preparing for Donald Trump’s presidential nomination acceptance speech tonight at the Fiserv Forum, GOP conventioneers are split on which Democrat — President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, someone else — would be the easiest Democrat to defeat.

Many MAGA faithful want Biden to remain the Democratic nominee because of his perceived frailty. But they aren’t particularly worried, either, about Harris as a potential substitute if Biden drops out, because she’s inextricably linked to the administration’s record, which they view as damaged.

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Democrats face an urgent crisis around Biden’s candidacy, with more and more party leaders openly questioning whether the 81-year-old president has the physical stamina and mental acuity to serve until 2029, when he’d be 86. Biden’s campaign insisted Thursday that Biden is not quitting despite reports suggesting otherwise.

“I would like to see Donald Trump run against Joe Biden because it would be a win, hands down,” said Donna Russell, an alternate delegate from Washington state, who was taking a break from the convention on the concourse at Fiserv Forum on Wednesday, the same day Biden tested positive for COVID-19, and canceled a campaign event in Las Vegas.

“Donald Trump would win,” Russell told Raw Story. “Joe Biden would stay in the basement.”

Asked if she thinks Harris would be a more formidable opponent for Trump than Biden, Russell waved the thought aside, dismissing the vice president with a misogynist slur.

Ralph Hise, a state senator and delegate from North Carolina, told Raw Story he thinks the Democratic Party is in a bind if Biden drops out of the race. Harris is tied to the administration’s record, he said, and any other choice would fracture party unity.

Others said they would like to see Harris as the Democratic nominee because of her own perceived weaknesses.

“I want to see a candidate like Kamala Harris, who has failed,” said Sam Matthew, an alternate delegate from Michigan. “Anybody else, they can say, ‘Biden is out. The administration has changed to new leadership.’ And they can change the story around and attack Trump.”

Tammy Nichols, a state senator from Idaho, gave Harris some mild props, saying it would be “interesting” to see her debate Trump.

Nichols was posing for photographs in a gown designed by Washington, D.C., fashion designer Andre Soriano, who is also attending the convention. Nichols’ gown featured blue lettering and stars with the words “Make America great again” on the front and “Trump” on the back.

Nichols’ friend Sara Brady, also from Idaho, wore a strapless gown modeled after the Appeal to Heaven flag that she made herself. The flag became a symbol of the modern far-right movement when Trump supporters carried it onto the Capitol lawn during the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on Congress, and more recently attracted attention when it was observed flying outside Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s New Jersey vacation home last summer.

Brady, who was arrested in Idaho in May 2020 for defying COVID-19 restrictions at a playground, told Raw Story that Biden is her preferred candidate for the top of the Democratic ticket.

“I just don’t think he is any match for Donald Trump,” she said. “So, I think it’s more likely that Trump would win, keeping him as the opponent.”

Brandon Hall, a Michigan delegate, said the potential Democratic opponent his fellow Republicans should fear the most is the governor in his home state.

“I’m from Michigan, and I know the strongest nominee by far the Democrats could put up would be Gretchen Whitmer,” he said. “There’s no doubt about it. She’s a political animal. She’s been on a national book tour, which is timed perfectly.”

Among other outside Democratic contenders, California Gov. Gavin Newsom received a nod as a desirable Trump opponent.

“I wouldn’t mind facing him because I don’t think he wins any other state but California and those very liberal states,” said Jamie Mathis, an alternate delegate from Texas. “He just has a reputation as being so far left.”