SOMERVILLE – Newark Mayor Ras Baraka tonight fought back against Republican attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris, denouncing as racist the chorus of “DEI hire” complaints issued by the backers of former President Donald Trump, their nominee for president this year.

From The Hill this week, by way of context:

“Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) called Harris a ‘DEI hire.’ Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.) similarly told local media that Democrats will elevate her to replace Biden as their nominee because they ‘feel they have to stick with her because of her ethnic background.’”

Following President Joe Biden’s decision on Sunday not to seek reelection, Vice President Harris stepped up to run for the presidency on the Democratic ticket.

Baraka is himself a candidate for higher office, pursuing the governorship in 2025.

He sees a connection between his candidacy and that of his party ally Harris.

“I’m listening to people call Kamala Harris the DEI [diversity, equality, inclusion] president and it’s really seriously racist and disheartening,” the Newark mayor told a house party of Somerset African American business owners at a downtown event hosted by Somerset County Commissioner Director Shanel Robinson.

Baraka noted Harris’ credentials, including prosecutor, attorney general, U.S. Senator, and vice president.

“But she’s apparently still not qualified to these folks,” he said. “I don’t know what she has to do except be a white man. We can’t allow these tropes to continue without addressing it. I love that people are going to her aid. I saw [actor] Jennifer Aniston responding, for example, to the attacks made because she doesn’t have children. We have to make sure we protect, speak out, erase all the negativity people are trying to put out there.

“We have to make sure she wins,” Baraka added. “My election next year is an extension of this election. The things we are fighting for are similar to the things if not the same as our vice president. If she can’t win, it makes it difficult for us. The same tropes they use on her, they will try to use on me.”

The mayor this evening also took time to expound on his campaign’s priorities, including educational opportunity for all, quality healthcare for all (“African American women are seven times more likely to die giving birth,” he said), higher educational opportunity for all, and policies that hit head on wealth gap inequality. “We want to live in a state where inequality is being challenged, and where we open access to economy and democracy [for all populations living in poverty],” Baraka said in this, the kickoff event of what he calls “Rollin’ with Ras Block Party Tour 2024.”  The tour, according to the campaign, “will tear down our artificial borders, cross cities, suburbs, zip codes and school districts, a grassroots tour that will see [the candidate] visiting every county in the State of New Jersey.” Baraka was well received in Somerville, as Commissioner Robinson hailed countywide efforts to unleash greater economic vitality through incubators that support Black business leaders.