According to a report from The New York Times, President Biden has expressed renewed interest in whether Vice President Kamala Harris can defeat former President Trump in the 2024 election.
Biden and his staff have publicly vowed to stay in the race, but the 81-year-old Biden is now reported to be doubtful that Harris can win, even though some polls give her equal or better chances of winning than Biden. Biden’s performance against Trump Democratic lawmakers are increasingly calling on Biden to withdraw.
“To some extent, the vice president is auditioning for the job right now, and they should help her be active and involved. And I think her active participation will be beneficial to supporting Biden whether he leaves office or not,” Ashley Etienne, a former Harris aide, told The New York Times.
Harris is the leading candidate to replace Biden because she would likely have access to the Biden-Harris coalition’s funds if Biden were to withdraw, while other candidates would face uncertainty about access to tens of millions of dollars donated during the campaign.
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According to a report from The New York Times, President Biden has expressed renewed interest in whether Vice President Kamala Harris can defeat former President Trump in the 2024 election. (Hannah Beyer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Democrats largely agree that Harris should replace Biden if he steps down, but questions remain about how she would best fill the role.
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“Most Democrats believe it should be an open process,” former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp told the Times. “My point is, what’s best for Kamala Harris is to win a competitive convention, because that would legitimize her candidacy. If it’s a backroom deal, then Harris doesn’t have a shot yet, and people are hoping she gets a shot. And once she does, it gives her a lot of momentum.”
Democrats largely agree that Harris should replace Biden if he steps down, but questions remain about how she would best fill the role. (Bizayev Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
A Friday poll by the AP-NORC Center for Public Policy Research found that about 60% of Democrats think Harris would do a good job as president. About 20% of Democrats don’t think she would do a good job, and another 20% say they don’t have enough information to make a judgment.
Polls show Democrats also remain unhappy with Biden. A Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll of Massachusetts residents found that 64% of Democrats or Democratic-leaning voters want someone other than Biden to run against Trump. A national poll by The Associated Press/University of North Carolina similarly found that 65% of Democrats say Biden should drop out of the race.
Polls show Democratic voters continue to lower their views of Biden following his debate performance. (Kevin D. Lyles for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
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The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Fox News’ Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.
