Staff Reports
Vice President Kamala Harris is busy trying to carve out a unique identity for herself as she eyes the 2024 presidential nomination. She faces an uphill battle, stepping into the shoes of President Joe Biden, a seasoned politician with decades in the game, while she comes from a medley of roles — district attorney, attorney general, and senator. Thus far, she hasn’t hit any major snags, but her public image remains a work in progress.
In the early stages of her campaign, Harris has kicked off a fundraising frenzy, amassing over $200 million in just over a week. This cash influx has swelled the ranks of enthusiastic volunteers supporting her cause. Rallies are buzzing with attendees, significantly more engaged than seen with the lethargic Biden crowd. However, underlying this enthusiasm is the question of how much of it springs from her self-proclaimed role as the “abortion rights champion.”
Harris has positioned herself as the face of the abortion movement, aiming to capitalize on the Supreme Court’s decision to allow states to regulate the procedure after Roe v. Wade was overturned. The narrative she’s pushing has seemingly carved out a space for her in the Democrat lineup, but it could be a double-edged sword. While Republicans are banking on the belief that the pro-choice mantra isn’t as potent an issue in 2022 as it was previously, they are eager to sit back and let Harris take the spotlight on this divisive topic.
Washington Examiner: Wake up with the Washington Examiner: How Kamala wants to run, Biden’s election grenade, and a desert showdown https://t.co/Tyy017oofO
— Ian Hansen 🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@IanHansenFeed) July 30, 2024
Compared to her previous presidential bid in 2019, which floundered while trying to please both center-left Democrats and their progressive counterparts, Harris’s current campaign is decidedly more focused. She’s declared abortion a priority, banking that this issue will resonate with voters who favor expanded access, while simultaneously waving a red flag that may steer moderate citizens away. As the party reckons with its new progressive identity, many Republicans are pleased to watch the Democrats embrace positions that could be deemed extreme.
In California, where Harris spent time as a district attorney and state attorney general, her record reflects an early commitment to regulating pregnancy centers, painting them as disseminators of misinformation. This legal drama may have boosted her profile, but also set her up as a polarizing figure. Notably, her efforts to have these centers disclose their non-medical status found no lasting success after the Supreme Court struck down the legislation.
While Harris enthusiastically pushes her abortion narrative, Republicans continue to distance themselves from the polarizing issue. Indeed, polling indicates that many voters are far more concerned about pressing matters like the economy and immigration, which happen to be Republican strongholds. According to recent surveys, the number of voters prioritizing abortion is bleak, signaling a potential miscalculation on Harris’s part as she makes this issue the cornerstone of her campaign with less than 100 days to go until Election Day. The gamble of staking her political future on abortion might just spell trouble when it comes to appealing to a broader electorate.
