Usually, the pursuit for presidency in the United States is akin to a long-distance run rather than a quick dash. Presidential hopefuls commit two years to assemble a campaign team, gather financial sponsors, survive the primaries and go up against the opponent from the rival party in the national election.
As of today, Kamala Harris has a window of 100 days to secure her victory for the presidency, following her recent promotion this week as the possible Democratic candidate. Harris is currently riding the wave of euphoria and rejuvenated hope, taking over the Democratic party since the recent departure of Joe Biden on the previous Sunday. Fundraising efforts have hit record-breaking figures, while the internet is inundated with “Kamalamentum” memes, and the media, opposed to Trump, are rallying around her — a fervour not seen before for the one-time senator from California.
Predicting the outcome of the election this early on is not reasonable but initial polling indicates that Harris has recouped ground lost by Biden after his catastrophic debate in June. Yet she is slightly lagging behind Trump on a national scale and in key battleground states. However, the opportunity for a Democratic win, previously looking unachievable, is now achievable once more.
Both parties are now focused on shaping Harris’s image for those undecided voters who are yet to form a distinct impression of her. Republicans are hopeful that an urban liberal politician like Harris, known for her association with the current administration’s unappealing stance especially on immigration, gives them abundant material for their counter-attack. Additionally, Trump and his backers would also not shy away from racial and sexist insinuations against the first major party nominated woman of colour; a strategy, regrettably, that may yield returns.
In the meantime, with their newfound enthusiasm, several Democrats appear to have turned a blind eye to the lukewarm reactions towards Harris during the party’s 2020 nomination process and the criticism around her initial two years as Vice President. The truth is, her present wave of support primarily stems from the fact that she is not Joe Biden. But this momentum is bound to wane in due course.
Harris certainly comes with her set of advantages in the fray. In recent times, she has confidently surfaced as a premier surrogate for the Biden campaign, alongside becoming a formidable proponent of abortion rights. She is also considerably prepared to argue that her rival is not qualified for the role.
However, for her to be in with a chance of securing the victory on 5th November, she needs to present something that Biden noticeably lacked: a forward-looking perspective that captivates swing states without isolating the Democrats’ core supporters.
While achieving this is far from unattainable, it will necessitate a level of political nimbleness that surpasses anything Harris has shown in her professional history to date.