Source: MANDEL NGAN / Getty
Vice President Kamala Harris may have a strong chance of securing the Democratic presidential nomination following President Joe Biden’s endorsement on July 21.
Just one day after the 81-year-old president formally announced his withdrawal from the 2024 Presidential race, supporters and delegates swiftly rallied behind the 59-year-old Vice President, urging her to enter the contest to challenge former President Donald Trump. According to a survey conducted by the Associated Press, over 1,000 delegates have either pledged their support to Harris or publicly announced their intent to do so at the convention, representing more than half of the delegates needed to secure the nomination.
Harris, who made history as the first Black and South Asian Vice President upon her inauguration in 2020, has garnered endorsements from prominent figures across the political spectrum, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker.
Below let’s take a look at Kamala Harris’ approval rating, how Democrats have been supporting her, and what analysts are saying about her chances of winning.
VP Kamala’s Approval Rating
Kamala Harris’ approval rating during her tenure as Vice President has somewhat mirrored President Joe Biden’s, hovering just under 40%, with a 51% disapproval rating as of July 22, according to ABC News. Kamala’s approval rating will certainly need a boost if she will be able to beat Donald Trump in November.
When it comes to early polling surrounding the head-to-head matchup between Harris and Trump, Trump appears to have the early advantage. According to CBS News, Trump leads Vice President Kamala Harris in a hypothetical matchup of 51% to 48%.
Donations are high for the VP
Shortly after announcing her candidacy for the Democratic nomination, donations surged for the California native. Within 24 hours of Biden’s announcement of his exit from the race, Harris received over $81 million in donations, signaling strong financial backing and surpassing the $50 million that Trump raised within the same timeframe after his felony conviction in the New York hush money trial, as reported by AP.
The excitement surrounding Vice President Harris surged on Sunday as ActBlue, the leading platform for Democratic donations, recorded an extraordinary $46.7 million in contributions.
According to the New York Times, donations jumped from under $200,000 per hour before Joe Biden exited the race to a staggering $11.5 million within just one hour afterward.
In the initial five hours following Harris’ campaign launch, grassroots donors alone raised over $27.5 million on ActBlue, showcasing widespread enthusiasm and support. By 9 p.m., total contributions through ActBlue had soared to $46.7 million, marking the most successful fundraising day of the entire 2024 election cycle. The New York Times reported that ActBlue experienced its third-highest day ever for online donations by 10 p.m. on Sunday.
Political analysts say Kamala Harris has a strong chance of winning.
Political analysts are also confidently predicting Vice President Harris’ strong potential to win the presidential race. Steven Okun, a senior advisor at McLarty Associates, asserted on CNBC’s Street Signs Asia that her candidacy could provide the Democrats with a “reset.” This comes in the wake of backlash following President Biden’s lackluster debate performance in June and growing Party disunity, with calls from some members urging the 81-year-old Democrat to step down, citing concerns over his age and health.
“If the Democrats can be unified, come out of this convention, speaking with one voice, energized, excited, then they have a good chance to win in November,” he added.
Allan Lichtman, a presidential historian renowned for accurately predicting every presidential election outcome since 1984, stated on CNBC’s Capital Connection that Harris stands in a formidable position to win the upcoming election if pitted against Trump.
SEE ALSO:
Kamala Harris Agrees To Make History By Running As The Democratic Party’s Presidential Nominee
