As vice president, she appears to be the natural heir to Joe Biden. Kamala Harris’ name is increasingly being mentioned as calls grow for the American president, the Democratic candidate in November’s presidential election, to renounce his candidacy.
Many Democrats are now hoping for a Biden withdrawal, including several heavyweights like former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House and Senate Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer. They, along with the still-influential former President Barack Obama, reportedly privately advised Biden not to run again because of concerns about his age and mental health after his disastrous performance in a televised debate in late June against Donald Trump.
If Joe Biden does indeed decide to step down, Democrats would have just weeks to nominate a replacement, with the party’s national convention starting August 19. Republicans, meanwhile, would have to move quickly to attack their new rival. And according to New York TimesDonald Trump’s team has already started working on a strategy against Kamala Harris.
This action plan would notably target the record of the vice president, whom Joe Biden has tasked with dealing with the “causes of immigration”. The Republicans would thus present Kamala Harris as responsible for managing the border with Mexico, disapproved of by two out of three Americans. according to an Associated Press poll and the NORC research center.
Immigration remains a top concern for voters, particularly in Arizona, a swing state important to achieve victory. Still according to the New York TimesDonald Trump’s team also plans to target Kamala Harris’ record as California’s district attorney, which the conservative right considers too soft on criminals and drug users. However, this same record is often considered too tough by the left wing of the Democratic Party.
Legal battle over campaign funds
In a common occurrence for a US presidential election, the Republican Party is also preparing to launch a major wave of television advertising against Kamala Harris if she is nominated, explains the survey by the New York Times. Especially since he has enough money to finance such an operation. In the second quarter of 2024, Donald Trump raised $331 million, $67 million more than Joe Biden over the same period.
Campaign funds could also be at the heart of a legal battle. According to the New York daily, Republicans plan to launch legal action against Democrats if Kamala Harris or another candidate seeks to use money raised in recent months by Joe Biden’s team. There is no indication that the vice president would not be allowed to do so, but such lawsuits could temporarily freeze the use of funds and amplify the chaos within the Democratic Party, at a time when it should be focusing on reassuring voters.
In another sign that Donald Trump’s team is preparing for the Harris hypothesis, the vice president is being mentioned much more often by Republican officials. The Republican candidate has even just come up with a new nickname for her: “Laughing Kamala,” because of her frequent and thunderous bursts of laughter. “Have you seen her laugh? She’s crazy. A laugh says a lot about someone,” he said at a rally this Saturday, July 20.
While Kamala Harris is the most likely alternative, Donald Trump’s entourage is also anticipating other eventualities, the two sources told The Guardian. New York Timesincluding Michigan and California governors Gretchen Whitmer and Gavin Newsom, whose names are circulating to replace Joe Biden. Republicans are also preparing angles of attack against Pennsylvania governor Ben Shapiro, who could be Kamala Harris’ running mate and whose state is almost indispensable to win the White House.
Advantages over Donald Trump
These alternative scenarios remain marginal, because Trump’s team seems convinced that Kamala Harris will be nominated because of a very simple electoral calculation. By refusing to nominate a black woman, the first in the history of the country, the Democrats would risk alienating the support of this electorate, which is one of the most loyal to the party. A Kamala Harris candidacy divides Democratic voters, but is also seen as the most obvious. Called to rank potential contenders for a poll Conducted by SurveyUSA and the FairVote organization and released July 15, these voters overwhelmingly placed the vice president ahead, regardless of their age, gender or skin color.
Above all, Kamala Harris could pose several problems for Donald Trump. While the latter has repeatedly explained that he would beat her easily, she is only two points behind him. in the latest polls and could gain ground by officially entering the campaign thanks to some advantages.
She is younger (59 years old), while Americans are not satisfied with this duel of octogenarians. She is more energetic than Joe Biden and more responsive in debate. Her victory as a black woman would be historic, a prospect that could mobilize the black electorate that Donald Trump is trying to win over. A former prosecutor, Kamala Harris would also play on the distinction between herself and the former president, convicted by the courts and prosecuted criminally in several cases. Finally, she has been very present in recent months on the issue of abortion, which has won the Democrats several elections since the Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade ruling. Enough to worry the Republican camp and highlight the woman who had to end her own campaign for the 2020 presidential election.