Harris’ unique candidacy excites Dems
With her criminal justice background and service in the Senate, Kamala Harris insists that she can prosecute the case against Americans giving President Donald Trump another term.
But what excites many Democrats about Harris as Democrat Joe Biden’s running mate is the unique nature of her candidacy. She’s the first Black woman and the first South Asian woman to run for vice president on a major party ticket, and her life experience — including hailing from a family of immigrants and attending a historically Black university — is unlike any other vice presidential candidate before her.
Supporters say she’s emblematic of the American tapestry, which could appeal to voters looking for leaders that reflect their experiences.
“She’s somebody who looks like America and looks like the future of leadership in this country,” said Royce Brooks, executive director of Annie’s List, a PAC that promotes the state House candidacies of progressive women. “She’s everything we know America to be in its best sense.”
On Wednesday night Harris, 55, accepted the Democratic nomination for vice president and hoped to convince American voters to abandon Trump and chart a different, more progressive course.
The Biden-Harris ticket has been described by rivals as the most radical in history. Republicans point to immigration as a critical issue, claiming that a BidenHarris immigration policies would be harmful to America.
“Americans cannot afford the radical immigration policies of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris,” said Trump Victory spokesperson Samantha Cotten in an email. “Unlike the radical left whose proposals seek to harm Americans, President Trump is hard at work securing our border, protecting Americans, and prosecuting violent gangs across our nation, ensuring a brighter future for us all.”
Social media chatter about Harris has included debates about her record as a prosecutor, which irks some progressives who contend that she’s been soft on criminal justice reform.
But most Democrats say Harris, who mounted an unsuccessful 2020 presidential bid, is up to the challenge and will help the Texas Democratic ticket. She’s described by Texans who know her as toughminded, engaging and inclusive.
“She plays really well in Texas because of her experience,” said Democratic strategist Lisa Turner. “She’s got the chops. She energizes our base for sure, and she appeals to independents and soft Republicans who have turned the page on Trump.”
Turner said Harris would also be a catalyst for women voters, particularly women of color who were a key part of President Barack Obama’s coalition, but didn’t have the same energy about 2016 presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
Critics contend she was not a champion of criminal justice reform and generally favored police over the concerns of anti-police violence activists.
When she was attorney general, Harris refused to back a 2015 bill that required a special prosecutor to investigate deadly police shootings in Los Angeles and San Francisco. According to news reports,
Harris also opposed a California initiative to mitigate minimum mandatory sentences. But when she ran for president, her criminal justice reform plan supported such a proposal.
Brooks, the Annie’s List leader, said most Texas voters would embrace Harris because she was ready to be Biden’s leadership partner and is prepared to lead the country.
“She’s supremely qualified both as a running mate and to step into the office of the presidency on Day 1,” Brooks said.
Some progressives are confident Harris can unify the party. Ed Espinoza, executive director of the liberal group Progress Texas, said that progressives could work with a Biden-Harris administration.
“The historic nature of her candidacy is something everybody should be happy about,” he said.