Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) is reportedly already ditching her congressional duties as she eyes the White House. An important vote on a disaster aid package intended to help California in the wake of devastating wildfires took place in the Senate Thursday, but she was miles away in Sacramento trying to gain some early momentum for 2020.
Politico reported on her whereabouts:
When the Senate took contentious votes this week on a disaster aid package to help California rebuild after wildfires, Sen. Kamala Harris was in Sacramento — courting the support of labor unions for her presidential campaign.
A day later, Harris was stumping in Nevada when she missed a Tuesday vote on the start of a Republican maneuver to speed up confirmation of President Donald Trump’s judicial and executive branch nominees. Harris was still in Nevada Wednesday when the Senate took more votes, including a historic vote in which Senate Republicans used the so-called nuclear option to finalize their plan to expedite Trump's nominees.
It turns out she wasn't going to vote for it anyway, arguing that the Trump administration has "played politics" with disaster funding by "failing to fully assist California wildfire victims and the millions of American citizens still struggling in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands."
She said the bill presented does not offer survivors immediate and meaningful support.
Still, between that missed vote and the judicial ones, even her fellow Democrats are urging her to be more mindful with her time.
“I would have advised Sen. Harris to be in town for yesterday’s votes,” Democratic strategist Jim Manley said.
Harris is hardly the first presidential candidate to struggle in time management. But, voters are dismayed she missed votes that could have helped her state.
I was disturbed when I read this article! You and others have a job that you were elected to do. That is first and foremost! You have about 15-16 months before that convention. Do your job, please! https://t.co/ARey2wUyiv
— Harvey Tanttila (@htanttila) April 4, 2019
"Not a good look," media figures observed.
Not a good look for California Sen. Kamala Harris https://t.co/MJPbUX5qCU
— Mark Z. Barabak (@markzbarabak) April 4, 2019
One candidate who is free from these "MIA" charges is former Texas state lawmaker Beto O'Rourke. His unemployment, Politico notes, "gives him the freedom to crisscross the country while cable news shows cut in live to his midday events."