Harris drops plan to campaign with Newsom after Kabul attack

Vice President Harris is dropping plans to campaign with California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) following Thursday’s attacks near the Kabul airport that killed 12 U.S. service members.

Harris was scheduled to campaign with the California governor on Friday after her trip to Asia, NBC News reported. Instead, she’ll be making her way back to Washington, D.C.

“Following the @VP’s visit to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam this afternoon, the Vice President will return to Washington D.C.,” Symone Sanders, chief spokesperson for Harris, tweeted Thursday.

Following the @VP’s visit to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam this afternoon, the Vice President will return to Washington D.C.

— SDS (@SymoneSanders46) August 26, 2021

A campaign contact for Newsom confirmed to NBC News that Harris had canceled her plans to stump for the governor.

The recall election, slated for Sept. 14, has drawn a surprising amount of early turnout. California-based firm Political Data Inc. said more than 1.5 million ballots have been cast. The majority — 57 percent — came from voters who are registered Democrats, while Republicans accounted for 21 percent of those ballots, according to the firm.

Conservative radio show host Larry Elder has been leading in the polls among fellow Republican candidates.

Newsom was mayor of San Francisco when Harris was the city’s district attorney.

President Biden, who has thrown his support behind Newsom, had urged Californians earlier this month to vote against California’s recall.

“Gov. @GavinNewsom is leading California through unprecedented crises—he’s a key partner in fighting the pandemic and helping build our economy back better,” Biden tweeted from his personal account. “To keep him on the job, registered voters should vote no on the recall election by 9/14 and keep California moving forward.”

Gov. @GavinNewsom is leading California through unprecedented crises—he’s a key partner in fighting the pandemic and helping build our economy back better. To keep him on the job, registered voters should vote no on the recall election by 9/14 and keep California moving forward.

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 13, 2021