WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden’s decision to bow out of the November election leaves a path for Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him that would have seemed unlikely for most of the last three years, when she was seen as a drag on his reelection prospects as her approval numbers in polls lagged behind her boss’. But Democratic desperation and Harris’ own recent performance as a vigorous administration spokesperson and loyal deputy have changed her fortunes. If she receives the nomination, Harris would be the first woman of color to head a national ticket and, if she wins, the first female president.
Several recent polls show Harris is now in close striking distance, within one or two percentage points, in a head-to-head matchup against former President Donald Trump. Republicans, preparing for a possible Harris candidacy since Biden’s poor debate performance in June, have been resurfacing old clips of her, mocking her sometimes awkward public speaking style, blaming her for “covering up” Biden’s frailty and tying her to the high number of arrests at the southern border that have occurred under Biden’s watch. Many anxious Democrats have clamored for other candidates, including Govs.
Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Gavin Newsom of California or Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania — worrying that Harris remains too polarizing a figure to win a majority of voters. She has ground to make up against Trump and her national approval rating, while improved, remains a.