Leading up to the 2024 presidential election, the political landscape has seen a significant shift: Joe Biden is being replaced by Kamala Harris in the Democratic race. However, the crucial question remains whether this change is for the betterment of the party. The sudden surge of interest and shift towards Harris among individuals who identify themselves as ‘left-leaning’ only serves to underline the disappointment with Biden’s previous tenure.
Following a disastrous performance by Biden at a crucial debate, Democrats have been left in a state of uncertainty over the future of their party. Instead of rallying around the incumbent leader, they are seen questioning his credibility. This uncertainty has allowed Harris’ campaign to capitalize on this void, thereby enjoying increased fundraising and volunteer interest. Media attention, too, has swung towards Harris, alluding to an imminent power shift within the party.
Biden’s previous political strategy relied heavily on capturing the votes of people frustrated by the options available to them in this election. However, this risky approach has quickly fallen apart, exposing the folly of placing hopes on shared fears of a common adversary—Donald Trump. With such a strategy failing to deliver, the Harris team is now tasked with flipping from a defensive to an offensive position.
As the campaign navigates this change in direction, Harris also takes on the challenge of gaining the trust of voters—voters who had considerable disdain for both Biden and Trump. The campaign’s plan is to reintroduce Harris to the American public in the hope that this change of face can reinvigorate the party and win over voters. However, the presence of these so-called ‘double haters’ leaves much room for unpredictability.
Disenchanted voters are a fiercely mixed bag, harboring a wide spectrum of feelings towards the candidates. Some vehemently disliked both contenders, while others showed a clear ideological lean towards one but struggled with certain flaws or points of contention. One particular stumbling block for many was seen to be Biden’s age, a concern that only amplified with his lacklustre debate performance.
This voter disenchantment isn’t a recent phenomenon. Evident unhappiness has bordered on outright rejection of a possible Biden-Trump rematch for quite some time now. It was revealed that a stark 70% of Americans, including a massive chunk of Democrats, didn’t want Biden to run for reelection just one year into his presidency. Even Trump, it seemed, was not immune to the sentiment, with 70% of Americans unenthusiastically viewing his potential candidacy.
Reports of declining public satisfaction with Biden’s stint as president began setting in rather soon. According to a poll from January 2022, only 4 out of 10 Americans approved of the job Biden was doing as president—a hit of nearly 20 percentage points compared to the previous year. While there remained some remnants of positive opinion towards the former President, his continually falling favorability rating hinted at a troubling trend.
By the end of 2023, dissatisfaction with a Biden-Trump rematch reached a new high; more than half of Americans seemed quite unhappy with the idea. Trump’s support remained relatively solid among Republicans, while Biden struggled to command the same rallying effect among his base. Gathering evidence of this decline, an AP-NORC poll revealed that a whopping two-thirds of Democrats felt Biden should drop out.
The disappointment extended to left-leaning voters as well, many of whom expressed frustration with the two-party system seeming to offer a stale rematch. The country, boasting a vast populace, seemed cornered into choosing between two senior-aged candidates—an unthinkable scenario to many. The Democrats’ failure to foresee this issue was met with widespread astonishment.
The race underwent a significant transformation with Harris at the helm instead of Biden. According to recent polls, the number of voters who hold an unfavorable view of both candidates seemed to decline. However, attributes like lower unfavorable views towards Harris were coupled with hints of an increased favorable view of Trump—indicating a complex scenario.
On the Republican side, the belief that Harris can be tied to Biden’s ill-received political record—especially in areas such as consumer prices and immigration—drives their strategy. They also aim to tarnish her personal brand, thereby defeating any ‘Harris resurgence’. However, this high-stakes game also provides an opportunity for Harris to launch a counteroffensive in her favor.
The election dynamics with Harris as a factor remain dynamic and volatile. While Harris is not as well-known as Trump or Biden, the possibility of her gaining support among Democratic-leaning demographics is on the table. However, caution remains as the ‘double haters’, for the most part, are still undecided.
Even amidst these political uncertainties, some voters have formed strong opinions. Take Kathryn Kabat, a retired Air Force captain from North Carolina, for example. Initially planning on supporting Biden, she held on to her decision until his unfavorable debate performance. Fearing another Trump term, she subsequently jumped ship to become Harris’ supporter.
Kabat’s move towards actively supporting Harris sets a positive example for the politician’s campaign. Enthused, she has started engaging with the campaign, taking up tasks like sending postcards from home. This sense of responsibility might inspire others to participate more actively, creating opportunities for Harris to gain traction.
All things considered, while Harris’ ascendancy does provide a fresh perspective to the Democratic campaign, it also underlines the failure of the Biden regime. The Harris dynamic is perceived as a struggle for the reassurance of its voter base, while negative sentiment towards Biden’s tenure is simultaneously echoed in the shadows.
Biden’s Blunder: The Rise of Kamala Highlights His Fall appeared first on Real News Now.
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