What are the views of Kamala Harris on issues such as the economy?

Days before the Democratic National Convention, Vice President Kamala Harris is riding a wave of positive votes and strong rallies. But beyond the good vibes, where does the Democratic presidential nominee stand on the issues that matter?

While she has yet to release a broad platform, her time as a California senator and prosecutor, her 2020 presidential bid and a role in the White House as vice president offer clues as to where Ms. Harris stands on many policies.

Over the years some of his positions have shifted and some say he has trouble defining himself.

To get a better understanding of what her policy might look like now, BBC News reviewed Ms. the prosecutor.

Ms Harris’s campaign told the BBC that the candidate’s recent statements clearly reflect her intentions if she is elected president.

“Vice President Harris will build on the historic agenda of the Biden-Harris Administration that defeated Big Pharma, created nearly 16 million jobs, and introduced the first gun safety legislation in three decades,” Harris campaign spokesman Kevin Munoz said in a statement.

Here are Ms. Harris’ positions on 10 key issues.

As a member of parliament, Ms. Harris advocated for many progressive policies, including paid family leave, affordable housing and free education for low- and middle-income families.

As vice president, he was Mr. Biden’s partner in passing major economic legislation — often referred to as “Bidenomics” — that included massive investments in infrastructure and green energy.

But as inflation and high interest rates continue to weigh on American wallets, polls show the economy continues to be top of mind for many voters.

on friday, Ms Harris released her economic planincluding mortgage assistance for first-time buyers, a tax credit for parents of newborns and a moratorium on grocery store price cuts to help target inflation.

And like his opponent, former US President Donald Trump, he has come out against tax tips.

“As president, I will focus on creating opportunities for middle class people that improve their economic security, stability and dignity. Together, we will build what I call an economy of opportunity,” Friday said.

Ms Harris’ position on the border has changed since she first ran for office. In 2020, while campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination, he held progressive positions – such as promising to close immigration detention centers.

In 2021, Mr. Biden asked Mrs.

He was not – as he is seen by many Republicans – a “border csar”, but instead he worked with Central American countries on the “causes” of why people there fled to the US.

As part of that effort, he announced in 2023 that he had helped raise about $3bn – mostly from the private sector – to invest in communities in the region, hoping to provide opportunities that would make immigration to the US less desirable.

Earlier this year, he helped pass an effort to pass a bipartisan border security deal that would have included hundreds of millions of dollars to build a border wall.

But Trump helped kill the dealHe accused Biden’s border policies of causing “death, destruction, and chaos in every American society”.

His campaign said, if elected president, he remains committed to “resolving both sides of border security”.

Ms Harris has long supported women’s right to abortion.

He was instrumental in the Biden campaign’s effort to make abortion rights a centerpiece of the 2024 election, and has long advocated for legislation that would strengthen reproductive rights nationwide.

That position has not changed.

“When Congress passes legislation to restore reproductive freedom, as president of the United States, I will sign it into law,” he said at his 2024 campaign rally in Atlanta, Georgia.

He became the first vice president to visit an abortion clinic, and toured the country after the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade in 2022 to speak out against the growing ban on abortion in the US – often keeping the issue personal. freedom.

Powerful reproductive rights groups, such as Emily’s List and Reproductive Freedom for All, have officially endorsed Ms. Harris since she first entered her presidential race.

While most of her work has been centered in the state of California, starting in Washington as a congresswoman in 2017, Ms. Harris has been very much on the world stage.

As a member of parliament, he traveled to Afghanistan, Iraq, Jordan and Israel.

As vice president, he has met with 150 world leaders and visited 21 countries.

He attended the Munich Security Conference last year, and delivered a speech in support of Nato which criticized isolation and vowed to support Ukraine “as long as it continues”. He also represented the US in June at a “peace conference” called by Ukraine in Switzerland where he reaffirmed US support in Kyiv.

Less than 48 hours after his public election, 350 leading experts on US foreign policy and national security – mostly Democrats – issued a letter of approval as “the most qualified person” to lead the country in international affairs.

Ms Harris has been a long-time advocate of the two-state solution.

As vice president, he was more open to criticizing Israel during the Israel-Gaza war than Mr. Biden.

He was one of the first members of the administration to call for an “immediate end”, expressing concern about the “humanitarian crisis for the Palestinian people” and blaming Israel for ending the conflict.

He held what he called “open and constructive discussions” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a visit to Washington in July.

As a Democratic candidate, he said he told Mr Netanyahu he was “deeply concerned” about the victims in Gaza and that Israel’s defense was important.

“It’s time for this war to end,” he said after face-to-face talks at the White House.

He does not support an arms embargo on Israel, however, as some in the US have called for it.

His national security adviser, Phil Gordon, said to X that he “has been clear: he will always ensure that Israel is able to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorist groups”.

In 2017, while a senator, Ms. Harris supported many progressive tax initiatives, co-sponsoring a bill with Bernie Sanders to expand Social Security for seniors by increasing the tax rate on investments.

As a presidential candidate in 2019, he supports a corporate tax rate of 35%, up from 21%.

This was more aggressive than President Biden’s proposal, which he also supported, of a 28% increase.

A campaign official told the BBC that the vice president would continue to support President Biden’s proposal not to raise taxes on low- and low-income Americans who earn less than $400,000 (£310,000).

As California’s attorney general, Ms. Harris and her office often used antitrust laws to prevent insurance companies, hospitals and drug companies from raising costs for customers.

When he became a member of the United States parliament and later was elected president in 2020, he had more progressive views than Mr. Biden, supporting the expansion of health programs and publicly funded health care programs.

His campaign told the BBC that, as president, he would not seek a single-payer system.

While he was vice president, the White House lowered prescription drug costs, capping insulin prices at $35, allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices and capping out-of-pocket costs for Medicare drug coverage.

Ms. Harris began her legal career prosecuting child abusers and sex traffickers before being appointed as the San Francisco district attorney, then California’s attorney general.

His offices increased the conviction rate, especially for violent criminals, although that history led to criticism from the left, who sometimes called him a “cop”.

Meanwhile, the right has mildly accused him of crime, even though his record contradicts it. As a prosecutor, he refused to seek the death penalty for someone who killed a police officer, but as California’s attorney general, he fought for the state’s right to continue using it.

Ms Harris also used her past as a prosecutor to contrast sharply with her opponent, who was convicted of 34 counts in the money laundering scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election.

“Kamala Harris is an accomplished prosecutor who has succeeded in attacking predators, fraudsters and crooks like Donald Trump,” said her campaign spokesman James Singer.

Ms Harris has long been advocating for stricter laws to protect the environment.

As a prosecutor, Ms. Harris defended California’s climate laws and sued oil companies for harming the environment. He also called for climate change policies using the “Green New Deal” during his 2020 presidential campaign – some of which have been implemented under the current administration.

During the 2019 CNN presidential debate, he said that “there’s no question I’m in favor of banning fracking”, but he’s retracted his position since throwing his hat in the 2024 presidential race.

As vice president, he helped pass the Depreciation Act, which included hundreds of billions of dollars in renewable energy and electric vehicle tax and rebate programs.

Last year, he noted in a speech that it was “the largest climate investment in our nation’s history” and emphasized the need to protect against severe weather.

Ms. Harris has a history of supporting gun safety laws throughout her political career, and successfully defended California’s gun laws against legal challenges as the state’s attorney general.

As vice president, he oversaw the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, and earlier this year announced the creation of resource centers to support the implementation of red flag laws — aimed at keeping guns from those who may harm themselves and others.

He also encouraged states to get $750m in federal funds that the Biden-Harris administration made available for crisis intervention programs.