House GOP leaders are urging their members to focus on Vice President Kamala Harris's policy positions rather than her identity as a woman of color in their campaign against her bid for the White House.

Speaker Mike Johnson and other top Republicans are among those trying to avoid backlash over accusations that Kamala Harris is a "DEI hire," and during a closed-door meeting on Tuesday, Johnson advised members to "focus on policy not personality," as Axios reports.

GOP Leaders Aim to Avoid Backlash

Harris is the first woman, first Black American, and the first South Asian American to serve as vice president.

In this context, Rep. Byron Donalds urged members to "hold off on 'editorializing' on Kamala" and focus on her record instead. This push from GOP leadership follows recent comments from GOP lawmakers about Harris' identity.

Rep. Tim Burchett earlier claimed that the media supported Biden and Harris due to Harris's identity, saying, "The media propped up this president, lied to the American people for three years, and then dumped him for our DEI vice president."

Similarly, Rep. Glenn Grothman had suggested that Democrats supported Harris because of her ethnic background.

Criticisms and Calls for Focus on Policy

Sen. J.D. Vance criticized Harris' career in government during a campaign appearance, accusing her of "collecting a government paycheck for the last 20 years."

Rep. Maxwell Frost described the lawmakers' comments about DEI as racist, stating, "Whenever you hear DEI, I want you to think about the N-word. I want you to think about racial slurs. That's what they actually mean."

Additionally, Rep. Lisa Murkowski condemned the DEI accusations as inappropriate, saying, "Of course it's not appropriate, for heaven's sakes. What, are they just going to say, 'If you're not a white male, it's a DEI candidate?' I'm sorry. No."

Johnson's Efforts to Communicate Strategy

Johnson reported that he had communicated with many members and believed his message was understood.

The speaker emphasized his belief in the importance of focusing on Harris' policy positions rather than her identity. This approach is intended to steer the campaign away from potential backlash and accusations of racism.

The comments from GOP lawmakers about Harris' identity have sparked significant reactions.

Rep. Burchett's statement about the media's support for Harris has been particularly controversial. In addition, Rep. Grothman's suggestion that Democrats support Harris due to her ethnic background has been criticized by many on the other side of the aisle.

Conclusion: Efforts to Shift Focus to Harris' Record

GOP leaders are now trying to redirect the focus to Harris's policy positions and record. By doing so, they aim to present a more substantive critique of her role as vice president.

This strategy is seen as a way to avoid the aforementioned negative implications of focusing on her identity.

This move follows controversial allegations from some GOP lawmakers about Harris' rise due to her identity.

Speaker Mike Johnson and other top Republicans are working to shift the campaign's focus to Harris's record, emphasizing policy over personality.

This strategy aims to prevent backlash and maintain a more substantive critique of Harris' performance as vice president, which many believe offers more than enough material for the upcoming campaign.