Perdue’s rival raises nearly $2M after senator mispronounces Kamala Harris’s name

Democratic Georgia Senate candidate Jon Ossoff said his campaign raised nearly $2 million after Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) mispronounced Sen. Kamala Harris’s (D-Calif.) name at a Trump campaign event.

At a Friday rally in Macon, Perdue addressed the crowd and said, “Kamala? Kamala? Kamala-mala-mala? I don’t know. Whatever.” Perdue’s campaign has claimed the mispronunciation of the Democratic vice presidential nominee’s name was not intended as mockery. Perdue and Harris have worked together in the Senate since 2017.

The comment drew swift backlash, with numerous Twitter users posting with the hashtag #MyNameIs in solidarity. Ossoff’s campaign said it has raised $1.8 million as of Sunday night.

#MyNameIs Anand, which means happiness.

We will deal with my last name later. https://t.co/UD6lJXvwiG

— Anand Giridharadas (@AnandWrites) October 18, 2020

#MyNameIs Malcolm Kenyatta. My father named me to honor the legacy of two giants in the black diaspora: Malcolm X and Jomo Kenyatta. @sendavidperdue might not care, but my name reminds me everyday the systems of discrimination we must uproot. https://t.co/vY5JwuYXbz

— Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (@malcolmkenyatta) October 17, 2020

#MyNameIs Ayanna Soyini Pressley. My mother, may she rest in power, gave me this name which means beautiful flower in Swahili. She told me I’d make history and the world would learn how to say it right. https://t.co/H9joGm8akh

— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) October 17, 2020

Harris’s husband, Doug Emhoff, also took a shot at Perdue at a Marietta, Ga., campaign event Sunday, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“Let me help what’s-his-face pronounce this: M-V-P. If he can’t remember her name, how about Madam Vice President?” Emhoff said.

Perdue’s remarks have drawn comparisons to an incident in 2006 when then-Sen. George Allen (R-Va.), while being filmed by an Indian American tracker from Democratic challenger Jim Webb’s campaign, called the man “Macaca,” a Portuguese word for “monkey.” Allen narrowly lost to Webb in the wake of the incident.

Perdue currently leads Ossoff by a single point in the race, according to the RealClearPolitics polling average. The Hill has requested comment from Perdue’s campaign on Ossoff’s fundraising.

Georgia is also holding a special election for its other seat, currently held by Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.), in November. Loeffler is defending her seat against Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) and Democratic candidates Rev. Raphael Warnock and Matt Lieberman.

Updated at 8:08 a.m.