Republicans are hitting out against Vice President Kamala Harris for her support to rename Columbus Day, accusing the Democratic presidential nominee of wanting to “cancel American traditions.”
Former President Donald Trump’s campaign was quick to decry Harris’s past comments supporting a change to designate the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples Day, calling the Democratic challenger a “stereotypical leftist.”
“Not only does she want to raise taxes and defund the police — she also wants to cancel American traditions like Columbus Day,” Karoline Leavitt, the national press secretary for Trump’s campaign, said in a statement. “President Trump will make sure Christopher Columbus’ great legacy is honored and protect this holiday from radical leftists who want to erase our nation’s history like Kamala Harris.”
Harris has repeatedly expressed support for renaming the federal holiday, beginning in 2019, when the then-senator and Democratic presidential candidate told voters in New Hampshire to “count me in on support for the idea.” Since then, Harris has posted online to celebrate the holiday — specifically calling it Indigenous Peoples Day rather than Columbus Day.
“On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we honor Tribal Nations and the invaluable contributions of Indigenous peoples,” she posted on X in 2021.
“On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we pay respect to Tribal Nations and indigenous history,” she said in 2022.
Trump and other Republicans also reposted comments made by Harris in 2021 urging the United States not to “shy away from this shameful past” by pointing to a “wave of destruction for tribal nations” that was brought with European explorers when they discovered the country.
Other Republicans criticized those comments from Harris, including Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
“Kamala calls Columbus Day part of our ‘shameful past’ that ‘ushered in a wave of devastation … perpetrating violence, stealing land, and spreading disease,’” he said in a post on X. “This clip is such a stereotype of leftwing woke crazy that I assumed it was AI. It’s 100% real.”
An analysis of statements from both Republicans and Democrats reveals the partisan divide between the two parties, with Republicans wishing supporters a “Happy Columbus Day,” while Democrats offer the same sentiment for Indigenous Peoples Day. And some Republicans have indicated they would never support changing the name.
“With President Trump, ‘it will always be Columbus Day,’” Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX) said in a post on X. “With Kamala, American traditions like Columbus Day will be eliminated. We can’t let that happen. Happy Columbus Day!”
Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) also posted a video of Trump speaking with supporters in 2019 to ensure “it will always be Columbus Day.”
“It’s #ColumbusDay. End of story,” the House Judiciary GOP posted on its X account.
The debate over what the holiday should be called has long been a part of U.S. politics as lawmakers have disagreed on whether to commemorate explorer Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the Americas. However, there has been a shift in recent years to dedicate the holiday to honor the indigenous people and commemorate their histories instead.
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Lawmakers have introduced legislation to rename the holiday, although those efforts have not been successful. However, President Joe Biden made history as the first president to issue a proclamation in honor of Indigenous Peoples Day in 2021.
The Washington Examiner reached out to Harris’s campaign for comment. As of Monday afternoon, Harris had not made any public statements about the federal holiday.