Kamala Harris has advantage of ‘double haters’ after Joe Biden withdraws

There is one big opportunity Kamala Harris can exploit as she vies for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Kamala Harris – or whoever ends up being the Democratic nominee for November’s election – has at least one advantage. Nobody wanted a rematch of Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

The American electorate is full of so-called “double haters” who have seen enough of the 45th and 46th presidents, and have wanted an alternative to be the 47th.

In a poll that was one of the final blows to Biden’s candidacy, 43 per cent of voters said they were very dissatisfied he was the Democratic nominee. What received almost no attention was that 49 per cent of voters felt the same way about Trump as the Republican candidate.

US Vice President Kamala Harris stops for ice cream at SMiZE and DREAM ice cream shop, owned by US model Tyra Banks (R), in Washington, DC. Picture: AFP

Whether Harris – and it is most likely to be Harris – can exploit this opportunity is another question entirely. She has 15 weeks until the election, an incredibly small window in the context of an election cycle that essentially started more than 18 months ago.

Biden has not helped her cause. It was obvious after his disastrous debate against Trump last month that his candidacy was doomed, and yet he stubbornly refused to drop out.

When he finally did so, he made the announcement on a Sunday afternoon on X rather than teeing up a prime-time address with Harris by his side.

Harris is also inextricably tied to Biden’s record. In some ways, this is not a bad thing, given he has a host of impressive achievements she could sell far more effectively than him.

But she is also tied down by his failures, most notably the record influx of illegal immigrants across the southern US border, a problem she was given responsibility for solving.

Most damningly, Harris is already facing questions about Biden’s competency over the past three-and-a-half years.

The irony of this, however, is that Trump is suddenly the dog that caught the car.

He and his team appear not to have factored in the ruthlessness of the Democratic Party in cutting down a beloved leader in favour of a more electable option, something the Republican Party could and perhaps should have done too.

The last thing to say is this. If anyone tells you they know what will happen on November 5, they probably have a bridge to sell you. There is no precedent for this stunning election race.

Originally published as Kamala Harris has advantage of ‘double haters’ after Joe Biden withdraws