Vice President Kamala Harris is facing the challenge of defining how her potential presidency would differ from President Joe Biden as the election approaches. While she acknowledges that she and Biden are different people, she struggles to identify specific decisions she would have made differently from him. Harris has largely relied on her age and biography to signal a break from Biden and former President Donald Trump. However, with a tight race against Trump, she is being pushed to articulate a clearer vision for her own leadership.
Despite her efforts to embody change, Harris remains deeply loyal to Biden and hesitant to publicly criticize his presidency. While some aides suggest she needs to distance herself from Biden in order to appeal to undecided voters who are not enthusiastic about him, others caution against any perception of disloyalty. Harris has introduced some policy differences from Biden, such as a smaller hike to the capital gains tax, but her White House quickly embraced these positions. Trump capitalized on her comments about Biden at a campaign rally, portraying her response as disqualifying.
Several of Harris’ allies have urged her to more forcefully signal a break from Biden in order to appeal to voters dissatisfied with his presidency. As the first vice president in almost a quarter century to seek to replace a leader of their party, Harris faces a delicate balance in navigating her campaign. She has tried to maintain a distance from Biden on the campaign trail while also appearing by his side for emergencies and other events. The compressed nature of her campaign following Biden’s exit adds a complicating factor to her challenge.
Harris is not unique in her struggle to separate herself from an incumbent president, as previous vice presidents have faced similar challenges. Republican strategist Alex Conant notes that vice presidents have historically struggled to secure the presidency, and Harris should be able to articulate three specific policy differences from Biden. However, some Democrats believe that Harris does not need to make explicit breaks from Biden’s policies, as her presence at the top of the ticket resolves concerns about Biden’s age. Her campaign emphasizes a new way forward and generational change, positioning her as a future-oriented leader.
Overall, Harris faces the dual task of differentiating herself from Biden while maintaining her loyalty to him and appealing to voters dissatisfied with his presidency. As the election approaches, Harris must navigate these challenges in order to present a compelling vision for her potential presidency and secure the support of undecided voters. Despite the complexities of the campaign and the compressed timeline following Biden’s exit, Harris remains focused on communicating her message of change and forward-looking leadership as she continues her bid for the presidency.
