Kamala Harris Faces Her Defining Political Moment as Democratic Nominee
When Kamala Harris takes the stage at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week as the party’s presidential nominee, she’ll do so fully aware that many in the crowd once doubted her ability to get this far.
At 59, Harris has long faced skepticism from within her own party about her capacity to lead the nation as its president, including from Joe Biden, the man she has served as vice president. However, since being named the Democratic nominee in mid-July, Harris has ignited a surge of enthusiasm reflected in polls, fundraising, and the throngs of supporters attending her rallies.
Yet, this momentum wasn’t always a certainty. After a short-lived 2019 presidential campaign and a vice presidency marred by missteps, high staff turnover, and low approval ratings, Harris struggled to connect with American voters during her time in the White House. However, in the years since, she has honed her political skills, solidified her alliances within the Democratic Party, and built credibility on issues like abortion rights, which resonate deeply with the party’s base. In many ways, she’s been preparing for this very moment.
On Thursday, as she formally accepts the Democratic nomination, Harris will have the chance to reintroduce herself to the nation with less than 80 days remaining before an election that could see her become the first female president of the United States. She’ll need to prove her capability to lead a party that has never fully embraced her, particularly amidst ongoing divisions over the conflict in Israel and Gaza. But most crucially, she must convince Democratic voters that she is the leader who can defeat Donald Trump in what is shaping up to be a closely contested election.
Kamala Harris: The Road to the White House
Before rising to national prominence, Harris made her mark as the district attorney of San Francisco and later as California’s attorney general. Her ascent in politics was rapid, garnering the endorsement of President Barack Obama in her 2010 run for state attorney general. However, her career has not been without controversy. As a prosecutor, she faced criticism for her decision not to seek the death penalty for a man who killed a police officer, and later, as attorney general, she upheld the state’s death penalty despite her personal opposition.
Elected to the U.S. Senate the same night Donald Trump won the 2016 presidential election, Harris quickly gained attention for her pointed questioning of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his contentious confirmation hearings. It was moments like these that fueled her ambition, leading her to launch a presidential campaign midway through her first Senate term.
Her campaign began with great fanfare, drawing over 20,000 supporters to its launch in Oakland, California. However, Harris struggled to establish a clear political identity, and her campaign faltered before the first primary vote was cast. Critics said she supported various progressive policies but lacked firm convictions, a criticism that dogged her throughout her campaign.
A notable moment came during a June 2019 debate when Harris confronted Biden over his record on racial desegregation in schools, leading to a brief surge in the polls. However, internal campaign struggles and indecision ultimately led to her campaign’s demise.
Eight months later, Biden chose Harris as his running mate, making her the first woman of color to be nominated for vice president. In January 2021, she made history as the first female vice president of the United States.
A Rocky Beginning
Harris’s vice presidency got off to a shaky start. Just five months into the job, she faced her first public misstep during a foreign trip to Guatemala and Mexico. The trip, intended to highlight her role in addressing the root causes of migration, was overshadowed by an awkward interview with NBC’s Lester Holt. When asked repeatedly why she hadn’t visited the U.S.-Mexico border, Harris’s dismissive response fueled Republican attacks that have persisted. Her subsequent comments during a press conference in Guatemala, where she urged migrants not to come to the U.S., sparked backlash from progressives and further scrutiny.
Allies of Harris blamed the White House for not adequately preparing her and for assigning her difficult tasks. As the first woman, African-American, and Asian-American vice president, Harris faced immense expectations from the outset. A former aide noted that the pressure to “own” issues was intense, and the public had little patience for her to find her footing.
In the following months, Harris faced more challenges, including high staff turnover and negative media coverage. Her public engagements were limited due to Covid-19 restrictions, reinforcing the perception that she was often in the background. Critics labeled her a “prop” for standing behind Biden at bill-signing ceremonies, a role her predecessors frequently filled without issue. In response, Harris’s team eventually decided to remove her from these events, which only led to more criticism of her absence.
Roe v. Wade and Coalition Politics
As Harris’s team worked to improve her public image, she began to take on a larger role in foreign policy. She visited Poland after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, held meetings in Asia during heightened tensions with China, and represented Biden at the Munich Security Conference that same year.
In May 2022, a leaked draft opinion revealed the Supreme Court’s plans to overturn Roe v. Wade, which had guaranteed the federal right to abortion for nearly 50 years. Seizing the moment, Harris became the administration’s leading voice on the issue, passionately condemning the Supreme Court’s decision even before it was officially released. Her stance on abortion energized voters and helped the Democrats perform better than expected in the midterm elections, allowing them to maintain control of the Senate.
Harris tackled the issue with what her former adviser Rachel Palermo described as “clarity of purpose.” She convened roundtable discussions with state legislators, healthcare providers, and advocates, building coalitions across local and state politics. This strategy of coalition-building, honed during her years navigating California’s political landscape, laid the groundwork for her future presidential bid.
Despite her plans to run in 2028, as Biden’s natural successor, Harris found herself thrust into the 2024 race. After Biden’s stumbling debate performance against Trump in late June, speculation grew about replacing him on the ticket. Some Democrats began to suggest popular governors like California’s Gavin Newsom or Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer as better alternatives. However, on July 21, Biden called Harris to inform her of his decision to withdraw from the race and endorse her as his successor.
The announcement surprised many of Biden’s closest allies, but Harris quickly mobilized her supporters. Within hours, she contacted over 100 party officials, members of Congress, labor leaders, and activists. In the days that followed, any potential challengers fell in line, clearing the path for Harris to become the Democratic nominee without serious opposition.
Harris’s Moment on the National Stage
Since becoming the nominee, Harris has yet to outline a comprehensive policy agenda or face tough media interviews. However, her campaign has released an economic blueprint, including tax cuts for families and measures to cap drug prices. Critics accuse her of avoiding scrutiny, but her team is capitalizing on the momentum she has built over the past month.
Political strategists believe that the excitement surrounding Harris’s candidacy is driven by a desire among voters to support someone other than Biden or Trump. However, they caution that the real test will come when she faces the media, debates, and the intense scrutiny of a presidential campaign.
Presidential historian Douglas Brinkley, who organized a meeting of historians at Harris’s official residence last year, believes that Harris’s relatively blank slate for voters could work to her advantage. He argues that while she may not have fully blossomed under Biden, she can now embrace the positives of his administration while distancing herself from the aspects she disagrees with.
While Harris has garnered significant support within the Democratic Party, it remains uncertain whether she can appeal to a broader electorate. Although she has made progress with key demographic groups, she still lags in some areas of Biden’s 2020 coalition. Recent polls show Harris ahead or tied with Trump in six of the seven battleground states.
As Harris prepares to deliver the most important speech of her political career at the Democratic Convention, the pressure is on to define her candidacy. Unlike the Republican convention, which served as a coronation for Trump, Harris’s sudden rise means her speech will be a defining moment for her campaign. A senior aide suggested that the speech would focus more on her personal story, answering the questions of why she’s running for president and what her vision is for the country.
However, Harris will also need to address the pressing issues of crime, inflation, the economy, and immigration—areas where Trump’s campaign is likely to attack relentlessly. Additionally, she will have to clarify her positions on left-leaning policies from her 2019 campaign, which critics argue are out of step with mainstream American views.
The issue of Israel’s actions in Gaza presents another challenge. Harris has been more vocal in calling for a ceasefire and condemning civilian deaths than Biden, but she has maintained the administration’s strong support for Israel. This stance risks alienating progressives within her party, and how she navigates this issue will be crucial.
Despite the challenges ahead, Harris’s allies believe she has laid the groundwork for a successful presidential run. Democratic donor Susie Tompkins Buell, who has known Harris since the 1990s, attended an event with the vice president shortly after Biden’s debate performance and sensed that change was coming. When Buell told Harris to fasten her seatbelt, Harris replied, “I was born with a seatbelt.”
Buell was impressed by Harris’s quick response, seeing it as a sign that she is ready for the challenges ahead. As Harris steps onto the national stage, she faces the most critical moment of her political career, with the potential to make history as the first female president of the United States.
