President Biden has reportedly been contemplating the potential of Vice President Kamala Harris to triumph over former President Trump in the 2024 election, as per a report by the New York Times.
This comes amid a backdrop of public affirmations by Biden and his team of his continued participation in the race. However, the octogenarian President is said to be probing the viability of a Harris victory. A number of polls indicate Harris either matching or surpassing Biden's performance against Trump, as an increasing number of Democrats urge Biden to step aside.
According to Fox News, Ashley Etienne, a former aide to Harris, suggested that the Vice President is currently in a trial phase for the top job. "To some degree, the Vice President is auditioning now for the job and they should help her lean in and I think her leaning in could be beneficial to bolstering Biden" whether he steps aside or not, Etienne was quoted in the Times.
Harris is seen as the most likely successor to Biden, largely due to her anticipated access to the Biden-Harris campaign funds should the President withdraw. Any other contender would face an uncertain trajectory to access the tens of millions of dollars contributed throughout the campaign.
The White House, however, refuted the Times report in a statement to Fox News Digital, asserting Biden's unwavering commitment to campaigning. "That claim is false and The New York Times did not ask us about it. As Jen OMalley Dillon said, he is more committed than ever. And as you heard from the President, he looks forward to campaigning this week," White House spokesman Andrew Bates stated.
While Democrats have generally rallied around Harris as Biden's potential replacement, questions remain about how she could most effectively assume the role. "Most Democrats think it should be an open process," former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., told the Times. "What I would say is the best thing is for Kamala Harris is to win a contested convention fight because it would legitimize her candidacy. If its a backroom deal, you havent earned it and people want you to earn it. And once you earn it, you get a huge bounce."
A recent poll from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research revealed that approximately 60% of Democrats believe Harris would perform well as President. Conversely, about 20% of Democrats do not share this belief, and another 20% claim insufficient knowledge to form an opinion.
Polls also indicate a growing disillusionment among Democratic voters with Biden. A Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll of Massachusetts residents discovered that 64% of likely Democratic or Democratic-leaning voters prefer a candidate other than Biden to challenge Trump. Similarly, the AP-NORC national survey found that 65% of Democrats believe Biden should withdraw from the race.
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