Capitol News

As Vice President Kamala Harris gains more support and endorsements to be the 2024 Democratic nominee following President Joe Biden’s late decision to withdraw from the race, questions loom on how Harris, if nominated at the Democratic National Convention in August, will impact the general election race. The last time an incumbent president exited the race was when President Lyndon B. Johnson withdrew prior to the Democratic convention in 1968.

Michigan State University has experts who comment on various aspects of a potential Harris candidacy. Eric Juenke is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science and a faculty member in the Chicano/Latino Studies program in the College of Social Science. Nura Sediqe is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science and a core faculty member in the Muslim Studies Program. Quinn Yeargain is the 1855 Professor of the Law of Democracy and an associate professor of law in the College of Law.

Together, Juenke, Sediqe, and Yeargain answer questions on how Harris has changed this election, how she may go about selecting her vice president, and how she would make history if nominated.

Eric Juenke addressed whether a Harris nomination could increase the odds of a Democratic victory: "Harris has energized Democratic voters in a way that we have not seen all year during this campaign. Voters told pollsters repeatedly this cycle that they did not like either of the parties’ candidates, so a new face on the ballot has put some excitement back into the race for Democratic voters and some independents based on recent polling and donations data. Generally speaking, both Biden stepping down and Democratic Party officials quickly coalescing around Harris have given a bump to Democrats’ chances in both presidential and down-ballot races."

Nura Sediqe discussed why a Harris nomination might resonate more with Democrats compared to President Biden: "President Biden’s foreign policy stances have alienated key voting blocs in Michigan, primarily Arab and Muslim Americans, who have been staunch Democrats in Michigan. The voices of Arab and Muslim community leaders have felt largely dismissed by President Biden. Kamala Harris appears to be more attuned to these perspectives and preferences and appears more amenable to taking their concerns into consideration."

Quinn Yeargain explained how presidential candidates select their running mates: "Picking a running mate can incorporate many possibilities — balancing out demographics on the ticket, ensuring geographic diversity, trying to gain an advantage in a swing state — but at the end of the day, the ultimate priority is for the running mate to add more advantages than disadvantages." He added that Vice President Harris faces complex choices: "She certainly does not want to alienate any core constituents... She may feel pressure to pick someone from a swing state or demographically balance out her ticket."

On making history with her potential nomination, Nura Sediqe noted: "This election is historic given Kamala Harris's positionality as potentially becoming both first woman president as well as first Black woman and first Indian American president." She also linked current events with historical contexts: "Her potential nomination occurring at Chicago's DNC convention brings historical echoes from 1968 when protests against Vietnam War policies were prominent."

Eric Juenke commented on voter reactions: "While it is clear that many voters have racial and gender biases that will affect how they feel about Harris... our research shows these barriers do not hinder success significantly for women candidates or women of color candidates." He cited examples such as Lauren Underwood (IL-14) performing well despite biases.