Vice President Kamala Harris finds herself in the spotlight as whispers of a potential shake-up in the Democratic Party’s 2024 presidential ticket grow louder.
This comes as Biden faces mounting concerns about his age and performance, sparking new significance in Harris’s campaign trail efforts.
A new poll by Bendixen & Amandi Inc. adds fuel to this mounting speculation about Biden possibly dropping out of the race despite signaling he’s in it to win it.
The poll suggests Harris could narrowly defeat Trump in a hypothetical matchup, showing the VP edging out the former president 42 percent to 41 percent.
12 percent of voters were undecided and 3 percent backed a third-party candidate, per the poll.
The Biden-Harris campaign has maintained a united front since Biden’s disastrous debate performance against Trump late last month.
Daily Mail reported that a campaign spokesperson emphasized that Harris “is proud to be [Biden’s] running mate and looks forward to serving at his side for four more years.”
Still, the 59-year-old vice president is walking a tightrope.
She’s been challenged to both balance her support for Biden while also positioning herself as a viable alternative should the party decide to make a drastic change, which could be as soon as the end of this week.
The decision is urgent because Harris would need time to “ramp up” and “pick a running mate” if Biden were to leave the race and endorse her, Axios revealed.
Amidst the chaos Harris is embarking on a series of high-profile campaign events in key battleground states this week, including Nevada and North Carolina.
The timing of Harris’s increased visibility coincides with growing unease among some Democratic lawmakers following Biden’s recent debate performance.
Over the weekend four powerful Democrats–including Rep. Jerry Nadler (NY)–urged Biden to end his reelection bid, for example.
Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, also made waves by openly stating to CNN, “Personally, I think Kamala Harris would be a much better, stronger candidate.”
Other names have surfaced as potential alternatives for Biden as the Democratic Party grapples with its 2024 strategy.
Two of these figures include California Governor Gavin Newsom and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer; however, both have been outspoken about their backing of Biden as the party’s nominee.
The coming weeks will be crucial for both Biden and Harris, with all eyes on the president’s performance as he prepares to host world leaders for the NATO summit in Washington D.C.
Some people believe Biden is not going to leave until his wife Jill tells him to.
Tucker Carlson, for example, cited Jill as “the driving force” behind her husband staying in the race, “just as she was in 2020.”
She has also faced backlash from Democratic donors who want her to push Joe to end his campaign.
One source told Daily Mail that Jill is the only person who has “ultimate influence” with her husband.
“If she decides there should be a change of course, there will be a change of course,” the source added.
