Mark Cuban, the billionaire entrepreneur, pitched Vice President Kamala Harris as a better candidate for small-business owners and the economy during a town hall event in Phoenix, Arizona. Cuban emphasized Harris’ openness to listening to the business community while criticizing former President Donald Trump’s economic approach. “I’m an independent,” Cuban said to the audience.
“I’m here to tell you how you can make more money under Kamala Harris than you would under Donald Trump.”
Cuban criticized Trump for his lack of understanding of small businesses, stating, “Trump was born into a wealthy family. He doesn’t even know what the power of broke means. He asked daddy for money.” He contrasted this with Harris, whom he portrayed as receptive and practical.
A significant point of discussion was the proposed tax on unrealized capital gains supported by the Harris campaign. Cuban reassured attendees that this tax was not imminent and attributed the confusion to a misunderstanding propagated by a former staffer of Senator Elizabeth Warren. “There is no tax on unrealized capital gains,” Cuban clarified.
Cuban advocates for Harris on economy
Cuban also criticized Trump’s tariffs, which he deemed detrimental to retailers, particularly during the holiday season. “Donald Trump is the Grinch that’s trying to steal your Christmas,” Cuban said, advocating for strategic rather than broad tariffs.
Attendees appreciated Cuban’s straightforward approach. Eduardo Gonzalez Diaz de Leon, president of 258 Consulting, said, “It makes a lot of sense. We need more common sense people in this type of situation.”
Eric Limbs, deputy director of the Maricopa County Democratic Party, praised Cuban’s willingness to engage directly with questions about inflation, tax policy, and partisanship.
Entrepreneur Brad Hart emphasized the importance of active political engagement. “I really feel like Mark is somebody who cares about small business,” Hart said. “We can’t just continue to go along as it has and expect things to get better.
We have to take an active role and, you know, be American citizens.”
As the presidential race tightens in Arizona, Cuban’s endorsement and the discussion around economic policies may influence small-business owners. With polls showing the economy and inflation as top issues for Arizona voters, Cuban’s message might resonate in this crucial battleground state.
