US election: Republican senator under fire for mocking Kamala Harris’ name

David Perdue, who has served in the Senate with Harris for three years, purposely mangled her name during a Trump campaign rally

Trump courted voters in must-win states Florida and Georgia, as rival Joe Biden raised more funds than the Republican candidate

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Senator David Perdue speaks during a campaign rally for US President Donald Trump at Middle Georgia Regional Airport in Macon, Georgia, on October 16. Photo: AP

Published: 4:00pm, 17 Oct 2020Updated: 1:04pm, 4 Nov 2020

Republican Senator David Perdue faced criticism on Friday night after appearing to mock and purposely mangle Democratic vice presidential nominee Senator Kamala Harris’ name at a President Donald Trump campaign rally.

Warming up the crowd in Macon, Georgia, Perdue flubbed his colleague’s name before going on to mock her, saying to a laughing audience, “The most insidious thing that Chuck Schumer and Joe Biden are trying to perpetuate, and Bernie [Sanders] and Elizabeth [Warren] and Kamala – Kah-ma-la, or Kah-mah-la, or Kamala-mala-mala – I don’t know, whatever.”

Perdue has served in the Senate with Harris for around three years and also sits with Harris on the budget committee. He is currently in a tight re-election race against Democrat Jon Ossoff.

The moment was immediately scrutinised online while Perdue’s spokespeople insisted it was not intentional.

Harris’ spokesperson Sabrina Singh called the moment “incredibly racist”.

John Burke, communications director for Perdue’s campaign, insisted the senator “simply mispronounced” her name “didn’t mean anything by it”.

“He was making an argument against the radical socialist agenda that she and her endorsed candidate Jon Ossoff are pushing, which includes the Green New Deal, Medicare-for-all, raising taxes, and holding up Covid relief for the people of Georgia,” Burke concluded.