OPINION:
As the 2024 presidential election looms, the buzz surrounding potential vice presidential candidates for the Republican ticket is growing louder. Names like North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida, J.D. Vance of Ohio and Tim Scott of South Carolina and even former Rep. Lee Zeldin of New York are in the mix. Each figure stands head and shoulders above the current vice president, Kamala Harris, representing a decisive shift toward America First policies that our nation desperately needs.
The failures of the current administration are stark and numerous. Vice President Kamala Harris once declared, “We have a secure border that is a priority for any nation, including ours and our administration.”
Yet the reality paints a far different picture. Fiscal 2022 saw a record 2.1 million illegal aliens apprehended at the southern border, with an estimated 1 million “gotaways” crossing undetected. Monthly apprehensions have exceeded 200,000 consistently since March 2022 — a level not seen since early 2000. All of this is made worse because, in President Biden’s first year in office, he tasked Ms. Harris with addressing the border crisis. The results under the “border czar” speak for themselves. America needs a vice president committed to securing our borders, ending human trafficking and dismantling drug cartels, not one who turns a blind eye to these threats.
Ms. Harris’ failures, however, extend beyond immigration. Her silence on the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan and the ensuing humanitarian catastrophe is a glaring omission. The Taliban’s brutal treatment of women and children stands in stark contrast to Ms. Harris’ earlier proclamations about democracy and women’s rights. She once told the U.N. Women’s Conference, “The status of women is the status of democracy.” Where was her voice when it was most needed?
Ms. Harris also champions censorship. Speaking about social media companies on NPR, she said, “I fully expect and would require that leaders in that sector cooperate and work with us who are concerned about national security, concerned about upholding and protecting our democracy, to do everything in their power to ensure that there is not a manipulation that is allowed or overlooked that is done to upend the security of our democracy and our nation.”
How censorship would help “uphold and protect our democracy” is a concept I can’t grasp. But in Ms. Harris’ bizarre view of the world, they have a direct connection. Unbelievable.
Furthermore, Ms. Harris’ sense of entitlement and hypocrisy are glaring. Her staff is provided taxpayer-funded meals whenever they fly with her. Yet they told the press that the food on Air Force Two is bleh, complaining about the lack of filet mignon and griping about being served sandwiches, chips and pasta salad — food most Americans are happy to eat. A former Harris aide even derided the meals as “horrible slop,” comparing them unfavorably to Four Seasons dining.
Ms. Harris’ hypocrisy extends to her stance on climate change. As I lay out in my book “Beat the Elites,” she and her enormous entourage spewed tons of carbon into the atmosphere flying to Africa in March — at our expense, of course. Once there, she adopted the strained look of a warrior for the world, solemnly intoning that climate change, ostensibly caused by the fossil fuels she just burned by the barrel-full, poses an “existential threat to the entire planet.”
In stark contrast, potential vice presidential picks like Messrs. Burgum, Rubio, Vance, Scott and Zeldin embody the America First ethos that prioritizes our nation’s safety, security and prosperity.
Mr. Burgum, as governor of North Dakota, brings executive experience and a proven track record of economic growth. Mr. Rubio and Mr. Scott have extensive legislative backgrounds, championing conservative economic and social policies that empower American families and businesses. Mr. Vance offers fresh perspectives on economic rejuvenation, focusing on revitalizing American industry and job creation. With his military service and staunch stance on national security, Mr. Zeldin represents the leadership needed in these challenging times.
Former President Donald Trump’s unorthodox style adds another layer of intrigue to the selection process. Bringing two or three potential candidates to a debate, showcasing their strengths, and keeping the electorate engaged ensures that the final pick is thoroughly vetted and genuinely reflects America First values.
Ultimately, any of these candidates would present a stark improvement over the current vice president. The American people deserve leaders who will acknowledge and address critical issues like border security, crime and international crises with the seriousness and resolve they demand.
The Biden-Harris administration’s track record falls woefully short. It’s time for leadership that prioritizes America First, and any of the potential candidates mentioned here would steer our nation back on the right course.
• Ashley Hayek is executive director of America First Works, former 2020 Trump campaign coalitions director and the author of “Beat the Elites.”
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