Under mounting pressure from within the Democratic Party, President Joe Biden’s campaign is discreetly evaluating Vice President Kamala Harris’ viability against former President Donald Trump in a direct voter survey, amidst a critical news conference scheduled for Thursday that could shape Biden’s political future, reports the New York Times.
The survey, commissioned by Biden’s campaign analytics team and conducted this week, marks the first attempt since the debate to gauge public sentiment on Harris as a potential presidential candidate. Three individuals familiar with the survey, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the topic, confirmed its existence without specifying its exact purpose or how the campaign intends to utilize the results.
The initiative comes amid escalating calls from prominent Democratic figures urging Biden to either step aside or reconsider his reelection bid. This internal assessment reflects a simmering debate within the Democratic ranks about whether Biden should yield to his vice president.
While some of Biden’s closest advisors have privately expressed doubts about Harris’ ability to win the election, external supporters of the vice president argue that her profile may have strengthened since the debate and that she could potentially offer a more dynamic voice for the party.
In a memo circulated to campaign staff on Thursday, Biden’s campaign chair Jennifer O’Malley Dillon and campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez addressed the “path ahead,” emphasizing their belief in a clear pathway for Biden while cautioning against the reliability of hypothetical polling scenarios involving alternative nominees. The memo acknowledged a decline in Biden’s support but downplayed it as not constituting a significant shift in the overall race dynamics.
As Biden prepares for a crucial news conference at the NATO summit in Washington, scheduled for 6:30 p.m., the outcome of which will be closely monitored by party lawmakers and donors, efforts are underway to shore up Democratic support on Capitol Hill. Key Biden aides, including Steve Ricchetti, Mike Donilon, and O’Malley Dillon, have been dispatched to reassure nervous Democratic senators, some of whom have begun to openly express doubts about Biden’s electoral prospects.
The debate over Biden’s political future has also drawn attention from influential figures like Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who, while publicly affirming support for Biden, has privately indicated openness to alternative scenarios, according to recent reports.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party’s internal deliberations continue to unfold amidst concerns over Biden’s declining popularity and uncertainties about Harris’ potential to unify voters against Trump in November.
Despite internal anxieties within Biden’s campaign circles, the president himself remains outwardly confident during interactions with donors and Democratic officials, attributing concerns to what he perceives as elite party and media anxieties.
Throughout this period, Harris has maintained a steadfast public stance of loyalty towards Biden’s candidacy, while supporters of her potential candidacy have quietly floated her strengths, pointing to polling data that suggests significant Democratic voter support for her in battleground states.
As discussions within Democratic circles intensify, the outcome of Biden’s upcoming public appearance and subsequent developments within the party will likely play a decisive role in shaping the trajectory of the 2024 presidential race.
