Trump, Vance hit battleground states as they counter-program Harris, Walz at DNC

CHICAGO – As day two of the Democratic National Convention gets underway Tuesday in blue state Illinois' largest city, former President Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, will be in nearby battleground states.

It is part of the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee's plan to offer a full week of counter-programming to the Democrats' national nominating convention.

"Donald Trump is barnstorming all across the country over the course of this next week," RNC Chair Michael Whatley emphasized in a Sunday interview on Fox News' "America's Newsroom."

"We are going to be out directly talking to every American family across the country the way that only Donald Trump can. And we are absolutely asking for their votes. We're asking for their support," Whatley highlighted.

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The move is partially to try and blunt the momentum of Vice President Kamala Harris heading into the Democrats' convention. Harris has been riding a wave of energy and enthusiasm – both in polling and in fundraising – since replacing President Biden at the top of the Democrats' 2024 ticket four weeks ago.

However, it also appears to be another move to try and put pressure on Harris for not holding a news conference or a major interview since Biden bowed out and backed his vice president.

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"At the DNC, Kamala Harris will hide behind celebrities because everyday families know that she has been an absolute disaster for our nation, and real Americans are worse off now than four years ago," Trump campaign co-chairs Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita charged in a statement on the eve of the convention.

They argued that the vice president "has failed to answer media questions for 28 days because she can’t explain away her record of supporting policies that cause inflation, bans on private health insurance, destroying American energy, and higher taxes."

As Fox News first reported last week, both Trump and Vance are on the campaign trail during the Democrats' convention, headlining "messaging events" in the states that will likely decide the outcome of the 2024 presidential election.

Additionally, as a Trump adviser revealed last week, "a whole cadre of people" – including top surrogates – will also be making the GOP's case throughout the week.

Trump's schedule is packed with more events than he has done in months.

On Monday, he was in York, Pennsylvania, taking aim at Harris over the economy, while Vance was also talking about pocketbook issues during a stop in Philadelphia.

Pennsylvania, with 19 electoral votes up for grabs, is the largest prize among the crucial swing states.

At his event at a factory in York, Trump reiterated his pledge to cut taxes if he returns to the White House.

"Our plan will massively cut taxes," Trump said. "I gave you the best tax cut in history."

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Harris campaign spokesperson Sarafina Chikita took aim at Trump, charging that "Americans should be clear on what he will do: He will raise costs on middle class families by $3,900 a year. He will ship American jobs overseas. He will cut Social Security and Medicare and repeal the Affordable Care Act — just like he tried to do last time he was in the White House."

On Tuesday, Trump will be in Michigan while Vance spotlights the issue of crime during a news conference in southeastern Wisconsin, close to the Democrats' convention in Chicago.

On Thursday, Trump will visit the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona while Vance highlights the issue of immigration during a stop in Georgia. On Friday, the former president stumps in Arizona and Nevada on his "no tax on tips" pledge.

"As they meet Americans where they are in battleground states across the country, President Trump and Senator Vance will remind voters that under their leadership, we can end inflation, protect our communities from violent criminals, secure the border, and Make America Great Again," LaCivita and Wiles said.

On Monday, as the convention kicked off, top Trump allies in the Senate – Sens. Rick Scott of Florida and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin – were also making the case for the former president and slammed Harris and Walz at a news conference in downtown Chicago's Trump International Hotel and Tower. 

Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, a top House ally of Trump, fills the role on Tuesday, and the campaign plans Wednesday and Thursday news conferences as well. 

The Biden campaign counter-programmed with news conferences that included top surrogates in Milwaukee during the Republican National Convention last month.

Meanwhile, Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, will travel Tuesday from Chicago to nearby Milwaukee to headline a rally in the key Midwestern battleground.

In years past, it was traditional for a presidential candidate to lie low while the other party held its national nominating convention. 

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However, last month, as the Republicans held their convention in Milwaukee, Biden briefly campaigned in the key swing state of Nevada before cutting his trip short after catching COVID.

Days later, Biden's blockbuster announcement that he was ending his re-election campaign following his disastrous late June debate performance against Trump upended the 2024 election.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.