Vice President Kamala Harris is playing a crucial role as a bridge between President Joe Biden and the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.
She has outperformed Biden in approval ratings, particularly among young voters, and has been actively engaging with progressive issues such as abortion, gun violence, and immigration.
Her efforts are seen as pivotal in connecting with younger demographics and reassuring them about the administration’s priorities.
Despite some concerns, Democratic operatives believe that Biden remains the best chance for the Democrats to win re-election in swing states.
“Vice President Harris has been a critical player in pushing back on the GOP’s narrative that President Biden is too old. If some voters are starting to feel that Biden — whether it be because of his age or decades of moderate policy — does not connect with the issues young voters care about, then Harris is the perfect bridge builder to those communities,” a senior Democratic operative said.
“She truly comes from the progressive movement, and her passion for these issues makes clear that the administration will continue to fight for voters in the face of MAGA extremism.”
“She actually looks like us,” another Democratic strategist said.
Additionally, she is launching a nationwide “reproductive freedoms tour” and has additionally pushed for a more nuanced stance on the fighting in Gaza, in contrast to Biden’s support for Israel.
White House officials noted that the tour aims to “highlight the harm caused by these abortion bans while sharing stories of those who have been impacted.”
“Extremists across our country continue to wage a full-on attack against hard-won, hard-fought freedoms as they push their radical policies — from banning abortion in all 50 states and criminalizing doctors, to forcing women to travel out of state in order to get the care they need,” Harris said.
“I will continue to fight for our fundamental freedoms while bringing together those throughout America who agree that every woman should have the right to make decisions about her own body — not the government.”
“Show me the candidate who will have higher polling than Joe Biden in the swing states,” Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) stated.
“The polling that I’ve seen, that tries to get others into the race, still shows that Biden is the highest in those swing states compared to all the leading contenders that the media has bandied about.”
