Senator Kamala Harris hit back at a racist conspiracy theory that she is not eligible to be vice president, saying she fully expects lies and distractions by her political opponents and that shes ready for a fight.

Theyre going to engage in lies, theyre going to engage in deception, theyre going to engage in an attempt to distract from the real issues that are impacting the American people, the California-born senator told The Grio in an interview published Sunday. And I expect they will engage in dirty tactics and this is going to be a knock-down, drag-out and were ready. Were ready.

Harris defiance follows presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden naming her as his running mate last week, in effect making her the first Black and South Asian woman VP nominee for a major political party. Shortly after the announcement, an opinion piece published in Newsweek questioned whether she is eligible for the role based on her parents immigration status at the time of her birth. Her citizenship and eligibility for the role under the U.S. Constitution are in truth not in question.