Trump campaign launches ad hammering Harris on fracking

 The Trump campaign is up with a new ad in Pennsylvania warning voters that Kamala Harris wants to ban fracking, despite Kamala Harris’ recent statements to the contrary, seizing on a key issue in the battleground state.

“Harris will ban all fracking,” the ad opens, over images of Harris’ high-profile interview with CNN earlier this month, her first sit-down as the new Democratic nominee. The ad proceeds to play a clip of Harris at a CNN Town Hall in 2019, taking a question from a voter.

Will you commit to implementing a federal ban on fracking your first day in office?,” the voter asks, and Harris responds, “There’s no question I’m in favor of banning fracking.”

“That will immediately put tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians out of work and send utility bills skyrocketing,” the ad’s narrator says. “Trump will protect clean energy fracking and protect the jobs it creates.” 

Harris was asked directly about her position on fracking at Tuesday’s debate, and she answered, “I will not ban fracking. I have not banned fracking as vice president of the United States. And, in fact, I was the tie-breaking vote on the Inflation Reduction Act, which opened new leases for fracking.”

The new ad from the Trump campaign reflects the salience of the issue. Fracking is a major industry in Pennsylvania, the top battleground state this election cycle, drawing more campaign dollars than any other. And the debate over the industry’s economic and environmental impacts is one of several shaping the fierce contest in the commonwealth.

This comes as the Harris campaign on Wednesday released its first digital ad following the presidential debate featuring clips from her performance as it seeks to highlight the contrast with Trump.