Iris Brown
After Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race, Kamala Harris, who was previously expected to run as his Vice President, became the sole candidate for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination.
Joe Biden resigned from the race on the 21st July following a disastrous debate with Republican nominee and former President, Donald Trump. Throughout the debate, Biden failed to refute Trump’s claims and provided nonsensical answers. After this, it was no surprise that his approval ratings declined, as did Harris’ for Vice President.
So how did Harris end up the Democratic party’s saving grace, and what does this mean for the United States’ 2024 Presidential Election?
Who is Kamala Harris?
Kamala Harris, a second-generation US immigrant of Indian and Jamaican descent, was the second black woman to be elected to the US Senate in 2017. If successful, she would then also be the first female President, which may inspire many to vote for her.
She has a well-decorated career as a prosecutor and was the Attorney General of the State of California in 2011. In this role she has tended to lean right regarding her criminal justice prosecution, which makes her unfavourable to some on the left of the political spectrum.
However, Harris is yet to lose an election in her legal and political career.
Will Harris’ Nomination Be Enough For The Democrats?
There has been much debate about what Biden’s withdrawal and Harris’ nomination will bring for the Democrats. In the week following Biden’s resignation, the polls were still tight.
Trump was ahead in eight polls, with Harris only leading in four. However, for each poll, the margin between the two was slight at two to three per cent. After the Democratic National Convention, however, Harris outperformed Trump in nine surveys, with margins of up to six per cent, and a weighted average lead of 3.2 per cent.
Harris’ advance in the polls shows promising signs that the Democrats may secure the Presidency for another term.
Polls are not everything, though, and have differed from eventual election outcomes greatly. In 2016, a survey from HuffPost boldly declared that Democratic nominee Hilary Clinton had a 98 per cent chance of winning the Presidency over Donald Trump. So Harris and the Democrats can’t get too comfortable yet.
Indeed, Harris has not only been tasked with uniting the Democrats, but also the US voter base in an unprecedentedly short timeframe. Harris will also have to answer to the perceived failings of the Democratic Presidency of the past four years, including inflation levels and the highly debated topic of immigration policies. The task is enormous, and Harris has not united the Democrats in the same way Trump has a solidified base of followers, as reflected in the polling.
What’s Age Got To Do With It?
Harris has a lot to her advantage. With Trump almost twenty years her senior, her relative youth makes her an attractive option.
Her ago also makes her more relatable to the younger voter base. Her campaign team has recognised this and tapped into social media and pop culture trends to present her in a positive light to younger audiences.
@kamalahq the first time a presidential nominee has campaigned in savannah since the 90s 💙
Charli XCX even endorsed Harris in an unconventional manner. She tweeted: “kamla IS brat” and stated that Harris was the candidate on the right side of democracy and rights for women. The ‘Kamala is Brat’ meme went viral, with a multitude of video edits made of Harris with Charli XCX’s new hit album Brat as audio, and the infamous neon green colour.
Harris’ Brat campaign brought her a lot of attention, particularly among younger voters, which could be enough to push her over the edge on election day. However, the campaign also received backlash from the left-wing voter base. Some identified the campaign as an attempt to rebrand Harris as a ‘girlboss’, detracting attention from her controversial policies, including her stance on Gaza.
The rapid increase in the Free Palestine movement, as well as more left-wing voters aging into the voting poll this year, could decrease support for Harris from individuals that align themselves with the Democrats because of such policies. Yet the alternative, Trump, may be enough to convince disillusioned or fence-sitting voters to support Harris, even if reluctantly.
The Second Debate
On the 10th September, the second, highly anticipated Presidential debate took place. The debate was lively to say the least. Trump made false claims about no inflation in his previous presidential term and immigrant crime rates – one of which has been turned into yet another viral meme – whilst Harris clarified her stance on fracking, abortion and military policy. She presented as calm but concentrated, and delivered emotive speeches that also employed factual evidence, a noticeable upgrade from Biden’s performance.
Although there was no formal ‘winner’ of the presidential debate, registered voters in a CNN poll perceived that Harris performed better. This is promising for the Democrats. It also indicates that voters may feel disillusioned towards Trump’s polarising campaign and stances. Trump has since stated he is unlikely to engage in a future Presidential debate, another sign that the Republicans are having to fight harder against Harris.
For now, it appears that Harris’s nomination has increased the chances of the Democrats winning the Presidency for the next four years, even if they don’t gain control of the House of Representatives. Harris is a much more appealing candidate to younger and disillusioned voters, and her debating skills will help persuade those on the fence.
READ NEXT:
-
TRUMP’S ALMOST ASSASSINATION: A THREAT TO DEMOCRACY?
-
WHO ARE THE WOMEN WHO VOTE FOR DONALD TRUMP?
-
NEARLY 400 ARRESTS MADE AS FAR-RIGHT VIOLENCE CONTINUES
Featured image courtesy of Gage Skidmore on Flickr. No changes were made to this image. Image license found here.
