Aaron Blake and Colby Itkowitz from The Washington Post discuss Kamala Harris's campaign, GOP reactions, and the shift from Biden to Harris. They analyze polls, delegate selection, and potential nominees. The episode explores the impact of President Biden's decision on Harris's campaign and the GOP's evolving strategy.
Harris gained rapid delegate support after Biden's endorsement, positioning her as a potential party leader.
The GOP is facing challenges in adapting to Kamala Harris's nomination and needs to rethink campaign strategies.
Deep dives
Biden's Withdrawal and Harris's Nomination
President Biden's decision not to seek reelection and his endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris came after concerns about his trailing in polls and potentially suppressing Democratic turnout. Harris rapidly gained delegate support within 24 hours, securing the nomination. Despite initial skepticism, her strengths as a communicator and key issues advocate have positioned her to potentially lead the party forward.
Impact on the Democratic Party and Election Prospects
Harris's emergence as a nominee has injected enthusiasm and renewed energy into the Democratic Party, offering a candidate with higher potential and improved polling compared to Biden. Her nomination presents an opportunity to appeal to a broader demographic and engage voters more effectively, especially women and people of color. This shift reflects a strategic move to revitalize the party and generate excitement among down-ballot candidates.
Republican Response and Campaign Adjustments
The Trump and Vance campaign faces uncertainty and challenges in adapting to the new Democratic ticket. Initial focus on questioning the legitimacy of the switch and potential legal challenges highlights their unpreparedness for this change. Republican strategist discussions reflect concerns over countering Harris's candidacy effectively and the need to rethink campaign strategies amidst this unexpected development.
Senior political reporter Aaron Blake, who writes The Post's new Campaign Moment newsletter, and Colby Itkowitz, who covers voting and elections on the democracy team, sit down with Post Reports co-host Elahe Izadi. They talk about how Harris polls against Trump, what it means for her to take over a campaign that was designed for President Biden, and how the GOP is reacting to her campaign.
Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was mixed by Sean Carter. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Mary Jo Murphy. Thanks also to Trinity Webster-Bass.
Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here.