When President Joe Biden dropped out of the race in late July, his decision upended the race and set the stage for a campaign unlike any in modern times, leaving Vice President Kamala Harris just 107 days to gain support from Democrats and establish herself as a credible and trustworthy leader. Harris has already made gains Biden couldn’t: recent polls have shown her competitive with, and even slightly ahead of, former President Donald Trump.
In an October 2023 New York Times-Siena College survey of voters in six key battleground states, Trump was ahead of Biden by four percentage points. The poll also asked about a scenario where Biden is not in the race. In that now-realized future, a hypothetical “unnamed democratic candidate” would swing the numbers by 12 points, turning a four-point deficit against Trump into an eight-point lead for Democrats. Now, Harris has become this candidate.
Up to the Democratic National Convention, Harris hadn’t taken any official stances or published any prospective policies. By not defining herself, Harris did something many people thought impossible: she created harmony within the Democratic party. Harris has been extremely successful at achieving unity in a short period of time. With the Democratic party so split, her nomination has served as a consolidating force for millions of voters across the U.S. Harris, having united the Democratic Party, was finally able to outline her plans as President last night.
Harris looked to convince voters of her ability to be a successful president. One of the main focuses of her speech was her goal to “fight for America’s future.” Harris detailed several key policies that benefit the American population, such as providing capital to small businesses, ending the housing crisis, improving Social Security and Medicare, fighting for reproductive rights and preserving democracy. For these reasons, Harris acts as a key force in uniting politics while also protecting the population that matters most in this election: the American people.
Along with advocating for the security of the U.S. population, Harris also clarified her opinions on foreign policy, looking to address controversial issues that play key roles in determining the outcome of the election. For example, Harris’ unique outlook on the Israel-Palestine conflict appealed to both populations as she took a middle ground approach, arguing that Israel should have the “right to defend itself” but that Palestinians should have the “right to dignity, security, freedom and self-determination.” This approach received positive feedback as it appealed to both sides of the conflict, ultimately advancing peace and stability in the Gaza region.
One of the most striking elements of Harris’ speech was her portrayal of Trump as “an unserious man.” Throughout the night, Harris worked to characterize the former president as a chaotic and impulsive leader. This framing is part of a broader strategy within the Democratic party, one that seeks to move beyond simply fact-checking Trump’s lies. By focusing on the seriousness of the issues at hand—respecting the rule of law, ensuring the peaceful transfer of power and safeguarding democratic institutions—Harris contrasted her own steady, principled approach to governance with Trump’s self-serving and reckless behavior. By doing so, Harris aimed to appeal to voters who may have grown disillusioned with Trump’s antics but are still uncertain about the Democratic alternative.
Throughout her speech, Harris looked to define herself as a center-left moderate, hoping to appeal to moderate and independent voters who are most split between Trump and Harris. Because the middle class mostly identifies as politically moderate, Harris chose to reflect views that directly benefit them, such as large tax cuts for over 100 million middle-class Americans, which helped her appeal to a large moderate population.
Harris’ candidacy represents one of unity and prosperity for the divided current political state of America. Throughout the final night of the DNC, Harris showed why she is the best option for president, vowing to fight for democracy, peace, racial equity, women’s rights, border security, the middle class, international stability and the overall future of the U.S. As Harris said, by uniting our support in her presidency, we can “write the next great chapter in the most extraordinary story ever told.”
