Vice President Kamala Harris is under pressure to visit states ravaged by Hurricane Helene, as former President Donald Trump‘s campaign has said he plans to visit storm-battered Georgia on Monday.
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida late on Thursday before heading into Georgia, also affecting North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.
The storm has led to nearly 100 deaths and a widespread loss of homes and property, as floodwater inundated many parts of the U.S. Southeast.
Trump has been quick to announce his plans to visit storm-ravaged Valdosta in Georgia and has criticized the Biden administration’s response to the hurricane, accusing the president of “sleeping” at his beach house.
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign event at the Expo at World Market Center in Las Vegas on September 29, 2024. The Democrat is under pressure to visit states ravaged by Hurricane Helene.
RONDA CHURCHILL/AFP via Getty Images
The Republican presidential candidate has also criticized Harris for fundraising in California over the weekend while “big parts of our country have been devastated by that massive hurricane.”
Harris is currently campaigning in Las Vegas but is planning to cut the trip short to return to Washington, D.C., and take part in briefings about the disaster response at the headquarters of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
An official who declined to be identified told Reuters that Harris has spoken with North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and has reached out to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.
She was also briefed on the federal storm response as she traveled aboard Air Force Two this weekend.
Harris plans to visit the affected region “as soon as it is possible without disrupting emergency response operations,” the unnamed official said, per Reuters.
President Joe Biden has also said he will visit areas impacted by Hurricane Helene this week so long as it does not disrupt rescue and recovery operations.
While Harris will certainly visit affected areas in the coming days, Trump has been able to take advantage of being the first presidential candidate to confirm a visit to the region and portray himself as more engaged.
During his visit to Valdosta, Trump will speak outside the destroyed Chez What Furniture Store, receive a briefing on the impact of the hurricane on Georgia, and “facilitate the distribution of relief supplies,” his campaign said.
Politicians’ responses to natural disasters can play a role in influencing public opinion during election campaigns.
When Hurricane Sandy struck before the 2012 election, former President Barack Obama visited affected areas within 48 hours of the hurricane making landfall.
Of the states affected by Helene, several are considered important battleground states in the upcoming election.
Newsweek reached out to the White House and Harris’ campaign for comment via email outside of regular working hours.
