In the forthcoming debate hosted by CBS News on October 1st, the Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance and the Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz will go head-to-head. Ahead of this event, both candidates have been making overtures to chief executive officers of major American companies in a bid to secure the support of key business leaders.
According to a report by Bloomberg on Thursday, the Business Roundtable is an organization representing CEOs of the largest American companies. Vance and Walz are set to meet with this business-friendly organization separately as part of their final push in the election campaign. During this crucial stage, the campaign teams of Trump and Kamala Harris are striving to boost their influence in the business sector.
Among the CEOs expected to attend the Business Roundtable meeting are Mary Barra of General Motors, Ted Decker of Home Depot, Jon Moeller of Procter & Gamble Co., and Chuck Robbins of Cisco Systems Inc.
In a statement, Harris-Walz campaign team mentioned that Walz has already had discussions with around 100 CEOs. Walz emphasized Vice President Harris’s commitment to promoting practical, growth-enhancing, and fiscally responsible economic policies, contrasting sharply with Trump’s economic agenda.
Harris’s husband, Doug Emhoff, highlighted during a series of fundraising events with wealthy donors that Harris is a vice president who “supports growth” and understands the needs of American businesses.
In June, Trump addressed the Business Roundtable, pledging to lower corporate tax rates and reduce federal regulations, which are the top two priorities for members of the organization.
Harris’s campaign policy towards businesses includes offering tax incentives for start-up companies and scaling back capital gains taxes.
Despite this, many business leaders and wealthy donors are disillusioned with the Biden administration’s record on inflation, regulations, and foreign policy. They believe that the Republican Party performs better in economic management.