A new poll suggests that Democrats have made peace with the prospect of Kamala Harris stepping in to replace Joe Biden as president, mid-term.
“A Suffolk University/USA Today poll released Tuesday shows that about 86% of Democratic Biden voters said they are either very or somewhat comfortable with Harris becoming president in place of Biden if the duo is re-elected for another four years, but Biden becomes unable to serve the full term,” Fox News reported.
The premise has been oft-discussed in the lead-up to the 2024 election. “Let’s be very clear,” GOP candidate Nikki Haley said recently, “a vote for President Biden is actually a vote for President Harris. We are running against Kamala Harris…Kamala Harris is going to end up being president of the United States if Joe Biden wins this election.”
Kamala Harris as president?
I have written (more than once) to criticize Kamala Harris. For the most part my criticisms were shared consistently across much of the Democratic Party. My criticisms were also paired with concerns over Harris’s viability as a vice president for a president in his eighties, who many voters fear will not live through a second term. Again, my concerns seemed consistent across much of the Democratic Party, many of whom were beginning to ponder aloud whether an alternative to Harris on the 2024 ticket was necessary.
The new poll suggests that many Democrats have come to terms with the idea of a Harris presidency – despite the fact that Harris’s approval rating sits at just 37 percent.
“Harris reportedly is getting a $10 million campaign boost in June amid her continuously low approval rating and concerns over 80-year-old Biden’s health as the two gear up for the upcoming election,” Fox News reported.
Harris is in a unique position as vice president to the oldest president ever. Biden is already 80-years-old. If he were to win a second term, he would need to live past his 86th birthday just to complete the term. Otherwise, Harris would indeed become the president. Given that the US life expectancy is about a full decade below 86, Harris is likely to face intense scrutiny as she campaigns with Biden for reelection; she may likely face the scrutiny of a prospective president.
Other findings in the poll
The Suffolk University/USA Today poll asked questions beyond whether voters were comfortable with Kamala Harris serving as president. For example, the poll asked whether Biden’s age would make voters less likely to vote for Biden. Over one-third of voters, 37 percent, said Biden’s age will make them less likely to vote for him in 2024. Meanwhile 56 percent of voters said Biden’s age made no difference to them.
Voters were also asked who they would vote for if the Democratic primary were held today. Biden earned 58 percent of the votes, good for first place. In second place, was Undecided, with 21 percent of the votes. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., a candidate with an iconic name, yet an unorthodox platform, earned 15 percent of the vote. Self help author Marianne Williamson came in last with six percent of the votes.
The poll also asked voters whether they believed the country was heading in the wrong direction. Two-thirds of voters answer ‘yes, the country is headed in the wrong direction.’
Harrison Kass is the Senior Editor and opinion writer at 19FortyFive. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.
From 19FortyFive
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