In an effort to maintain control of the House, the House Republican campaign arm is crafting a targeted plan to attack Vice President Kamala Harris and tie her record to down-ballot Democrats running in competitive House races. Despite Harris not yet officially becoming the Democratic presidential nominee, the framing of GOP attacks against Democrats is already taking shape.

The plan, still evolving, aims to link Harris to what Republicans perceive as the failed policies of the Biden administration while also resurfacing her positions from her 2019 presidential run. GOP Representative Tony Gonzales of Texas emphasized, "It's the Harris-Biden ticket. His failures are her failures."

However, not all GOP lawmakers are strictly adhering to the message. Representative Tim Burchett of Tennessee referred to Harris as a "DEI hire," echoing the sentiments of some colleagues. On the other hand, behind closed doors, Republican Representative Byron Donalds of Florida encouraged House Republicans to focus on Harris' policies, indicating some discomfort among Republicans regarding attacks based on her race.

The National Republican Congressional Committee issued a memo to candidates, urging them to be specific in their messaging and not to waste time discussing anything other than what Harris would do as President. The memo also acknowledged the challenges faced by Republicans in quickly shifting their focus to Harris after having centered their strategy on attacking President Joe Biden for his age, his family's foreign business dealings, and his policies.

The GOP campaign arm has already identified specific targets in key swing districts, such as Arizona and New Mexico, where they plan to highlight Harris' initiatives to address root causes of migration from Central America. Republicans hope to make border crossings and mass migrations a central campaign issue, labeling Harris the "border czar." This characterization is expected to be applied to down-ballot Democrats as well.

The White House has rejected the "border czar" title, emphasizing that Harris' focus is on long-term solutions. However, Republicans have also resurrected a moment from a 2019 Democratic presidential primary debate, during which Harris raised her hand in favor of decriminalizing illegal border crossings. They have circulated a clip of her appearance on "The View," where she tried to clarify her stance but seemingly contradicted herself.

Meanwhile, in Pennsylvania, the GOP campaign arm has honed in on Harris' previous statements as a presidential candidate, particularly regarding banning fracking. They have publicized her comments during a CNN town hall in 2019, specifically targeting Democratic Representatives Matt Cartwright and Susan Wild.

In other states like Minnesota and Oregon, the National Republican Congressional Committee is framing Harris as soft on crime, tying Democratic candidates in those districts to a 2020 tweet where Harris solicited funds for a charitable bail group following the tragic police murder of George Floyd and subsequent protests.

Despite the challenges they may face in delivering a coherent message, the GOP campaign arm is already working on developing detailed advertisements. House Speaker Mike Johnson emphasized that the race is about policies, not personalities, comparing the Trump and Harris administrations and indicating confidence in Republicans' chances in the upcoming November elections.

As the strategy develops behind the scenes at a rapid pace, House Republicans are determined to present Kamala Harris as an extreme San Francisco progressive out of touch with the American people.