As the 2024 election approaches, President Joe Biden faces increasing pressure from within his party to reconsider his re-election bid. Prominent voices, including columnists like the New York Times’ Ezra Klein and the Washington Post’s David Ignatius, have urged Biden to step aside. A significant concern has been the potential replacement by Vice President Kamala Harris, whose popularity has been a point of contention.
Harris’ approval ratings, currently at 38% with a net disapproval of 11%, are slightly better than Biden’s net disapproval of 17%. Although her popularity has not increased much since the beginning of the year, her rating is not particularly declining, unlike Biden’s rating. This positions her as a viable candidate who could continue the Obama-Biden legacy.
The scheduling of the first presidential debate on June 27, significantly earlier than usual, has fueled speculation about the Democrats possibly replacing Biden at the convention. If the debate against Donald Trump goes poorly, the party might have time to reconsider their candidate before the August convention in Chicago.
Polls indicate that Biden is trailing Trump in key swing states. Vulnerable Senate candidates in states like Pennsylvania and Nevada are reportedly distancing themselves from Biden to avoid being adversely affected.
Although the primary process of replacing the current president complicates things, technically it is very difficult. Despite her earlier struggles, Harris has demonstrated an improved capability compared to Biden.
