President Joe Biden’s departure from the presidential race 107 days before the election prompted the Democratic Party to look for its candidates. As Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, people are focused on whether she can effectively challenge former President Donald Trump.
According to Politico, the dynamics of this year’s presidential election will reshape as a showdown between Harris and Trump. With next month’s Democratic National Convention to confirm its presidential candidate, the party faces a daunting schedule: selecting a new president and vice president without any discord, achieving unity within a divided party, and reassembling a fragmented support base.
If Harris gets officially nominated as the Democratic candidate, she will become the second woman to run for president after Hillary Clinton in 2016. This will mark the first time in U.S. history that a woman of color has challenged for the presidency. In this scenario, Trump is expected to leverage anti-incumbent sentiments, while Harris will likely confront social issues. At 59 years old, Harris is relatively young for a presidential candidate.
The question remains: can Harris win the election? While she is considered a decent alternative among potential Democratic candidates, she has not significantly outperformed Biden in terms of approval ratings. Recent polls indicate that Harris has slightly better ratings than Biden. Her approval ratings as vice president were in the low 30s, comparable to Biden’s low figures. Although she has strong audiences of Blacks, younger generations, and women, that does not automatically translate to a guaranteed victory.
Consequently, there may be calls within the Democratic Party for an open convention. Other potential alternatives include California Governor Gavin Newsom, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
However, none of these candidates have the same level of recognition as Harris, and if someone else becomes a nominee, it could complicate funding strategies for Biden’s campaign. Harris can utilize Biden’s campaign funds as she was also part of Biden’s campaign. On the other hand, other candidates would be limited to transferring a maximum of $32 million in funds. Furthermore, the deadline for fully open competition is approaching, speculating that the party may effectively endorse Harris.
Furthermore, former First Lady Michelle Obama, who has outperformed Trump in some, is also a point of interest. However, given her stance on politics, the possibility is slim.
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