OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Steve Kornacki, MSNBC’s national political correspondent, dissected Vice President Kamala Harris’s polling results on Monday. Harris is in the spotlight in the wake of President Joe Biden’s announcement that he will not run for re-election.
In an interview with MSNBC host Rachel Maddow, Kornacki portrayed Harris as facing an uphill road, drawing comparisons between her and Biden as well as their common possible rival, Donald Trump. In contrast to 2020, when Biden routinely outperformed Trump in polls, Trump is now ahead in recent averages, according to Kornacki.
“The same polls that produce this average since the debate in the Biden-Trump race, what do they show when Harris is substituted in?” Kornacki asked. “A difference, but it’s a difference of a point. Biden at 45, Harris in these same polls, an average 46%. Trump 47% in both of them.”
“Joe Biden, this is the average when you ask that question. Do you have a favorable, unfavorable view? Biden, 36, 57, been seeing numbers like this for a long time with him. Obviously, these are very perilous numbers. What are they for Kamala Harris? Average from the same set of polls… 57 comes down to 52,” he explained.
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With Harris preparing for her official campaign launch, the Democratic Party must move swiftly to unite support for her. While circulating rumors regarding the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination, Joe Biden declared on Sunday that he will not only serve out his term but also give a speech to the nation later this week.
There has been a rise in optimism among House Democrats after Biden’s withdrawal and his later endorsement. They think Harris might turn around a campaign that has been overwhelmingly skewed toward former President Donald Trump up to this point.
The Democratic Party seems to be trying to organize ahead of the convention, which is scheduled for August 19–22 in Chicago, Illinois. Additionally, the number of Democratic leaders who are supporting Harris has been rising quickly.
Although it’s unclear if Harris will win the nomination hands-down, the increasing number of delegate endorsements is a positive indication of momentum.
According to recent polling data from Decision Desk HQ and The Hill, Trump, who just last week formally accepted the Republican nomination, still holds an edge over Harris.
In a national aggregate of polls, Trump garners 47% support compared to Harris’s 45%.
The margin mirrors Trump’s lead over Biden before he exited the race—Trump led by approximately 2.5 points, capturing 46% to Biden’s 43.5%.
In a letter posted Sunday afternoon, Biden announced he would step down from the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination. In a subsequent tweet, he endorsed Harris to become the party’s nominee.
“Today, America has the strongest economy in the world. We’ve made historic investments in rebuilding our Nation, in lowering prescription drug costs for seniors, and in expanding affordable health care to a record number of Americans. We’ve provided critically needed care to a million veterans exposed to toxic substances. Passed the first gun safety law in 30 years. Appointed the first African American woman to the Supreme Court. And passed the most significant climate legislation in the history of the world. America has never been better positioned to lead than we are today,” Biden began in his letter.
“I know none of this could have been done without you, the American people. Together, we overcame a once in a century pandemic and the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. We’ve protected and preserved our Democracy. And we’ve revitalized and strengthened our alliances around the world,” he added.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term. I will speak to the Nation later this week in more detail about my decision,” Biden continued.
