New Poll Gauges Democratic Views on Harris as Potential President

A recent poll by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research indicates that a majority of Democrats believe Vice President Kamala Harris would effectively lead the country if President Joe Biden were to step down. The survey reveals that approximately 60% of Democrats think Harris would perform well as president, while 20% disagree, and another 20% are unsure.

The timing of the poll coincides with growing discussions within the Democratic Party about President Biden’s future, particularly following a challenging debate performance in late June. Concerns about Biden’s age and capabilities have led some party officials to suggest that Harris or another candidate might be better suited to challenge Republican nominee Donald Trump.

Public opinion among Democratic voters shows a notable shift. A Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll found that 64% of likely Democratic voters in Massachusetts prefer a different candidate than Biden to face Trump. Similarly, the AP-NORC survey found that 65% of Democrats believe Biden should withdraw from the race. Despite this, Harris has continued to publicly support Biden and defend his record.

Harris, 59, is viewed positively by a significant portion of Democratic voters, who appreciate her potential to champion key party issues and mobilize essential voter demographics, including women and Black adults. Her background as a former state attorney general is also seen as an asset in prosecuting the case against Trump.

However, outside the Democratic Party, Harris faces skepticism. Only about 30% of Americans believe she would be a good president, while nearly 50% do not, and 20% are unsure. Harris’ favorability rating among the general public is comparable to Biden’s, though her unfavorable ratings are slightly lower. Around 40% of U.S. adults view Harris favorably, compared to about 60% who view Biden unfavorably.

Within the Democratic Party, Harris enjoys substantial support, with about 75% of Democrats holding a positive view of her, consistent with Biden’s approval among Democrats. Harris is also better known among Democrats compared to other potential candidates like California Governor Gavin Newsom and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. About one-third of Democrats believe Newsom would make a good president, while half are unsure. For Whitmer, about 25% think she would perform well, with two-thirds lacking sufficient information to form an opinion.

The AP-NORC poll surveyed 1,253 adults between July 11-15, 2024, using a representative sample from NORC’s AmeriSpeak Panel, with a margin of error of ±3.8 percentage points.