In a recent development, Florida's Democratic Representative, Maxwell Frost, has criticized the labeling of Vice President Harris as a "DEI hire," equating it to a racial slur.
The term "DEI" stands for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and its use in this context has sparked controversy.
According to Fox News, Frost, during his appearance on "CNN Newsroom," accused right-wing campaigners of employing racist and misogynistic tactics against the Vice President. "This is a right-wing campaign thats going to be racist [and] misogynist against the Vice President. But were going to stand on the issues and what really matters is the fact that she is qualified," Frost stated. He further emphasized Harris's extensive experience, including her tenure as the attorney general and her work at the state level.
Frost also condemned any "DEI" remarks about Harris as "racist dog whistles." He asserted, "Shes Vice President of the United States. She was a senator representing one of the largest states in the entire country. And so these are just racist dog whistles whenever you hear DEI, I want you to think about the N word, and we need to think about racial slurs. Thats what they actually mean."
Frost's remarks were in response to Tennessee Republican Representative Tim Burchett's comments, who labeled Harris as a "DEI hire" in a CNN interview. Burchett suggested that Harris's selection as Vice President was solely based on her being a Black woman. "One hundred percent she is a DEI hire," Burchett claimed, adding, "Her record is abysmal at best."
Echoing Burchett's sentiments, Republican Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene also criticized Harris for being chosen as Bidens running mate solely due to her racial identity. "She wasn't chosen because she was truly highly ranked amongst Democratic voters throughout the country. She was chosen for a reason. And it seems to be that her, unfortunately, her gender and maybe her skin color was part of that," Greene told Fox News Digital.
Despite these criticisms, other GOP officials believe that former President Trump, the Republican nominee, should focus his campaign against Harris on other aspects, such as her underwhelming 2020 Democratic primary campaign and her crime record in California.
Harris recently announced her secured nomination as the Democratic Party's presidential nominee, following President Biden's endorsement. She revealed that she had won the backing from a majority of the nearly 4,000 delegates to the upcoming Democratic National Convention, which is scheduled to commence on August 19 in Chicago. The official confirmation of Harris's nomination is expected within the next two weeks.
Fox News Digital's request for a comment from Rep. Frost's office remains unanswered. This report includes contributions from Fox News' Paul Steinhauser.
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