Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison on Sunday argued that Vice President Harris’ campaign enthusiasm makes Florida and North Carolina more competitive in November’s elections as Democrats seek to expand their target map.
“In all my years of being in politics, I’ve never seen this kind of energy, this kind of organizing, this kind of grassroots organizing,” Harrison said in an interview on MSNBC’s “The Weekend.”
Ms Harris’ campaign raised more than $200 million in the first week and registered more than 170,000 volunteers, and Mr Harrison said her emergence as the front-runner gave Democrats a better chance of going on the offensive.
“We have over 1,100 staff members across the country, and that doesn’t even count the non-swing states. We have over 200 offices in swing states,” he said. “We’re helping states that are not swing states through our Red States program, but we believe we can be competitive, and that’s exactly what we’re seeing right now.”
“This is energy on the ground that we haven’t seen since Barack Obama in 2008,” he continued. “And I say to you, don’t underestimate Florida, don’t underestimate North Carolina, because we’re going to be working on the ground to win a tough election.”
Biden’s campaign polls have shown him trailing far behind former President Trump in states like North Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Harris now leads the Democratic field, and recent polls have shown the vice president within striking distance in some of those states.
Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) is also optimistic about Harris’ chances of winning in the South, telling MSNBC early Sunday that he believes Vice President Harris will win Georgia.
“She has quickly unified the Democratic Party around her candidacy, is energized by her direct challenge to former President Trump, and has enthused volunteers and grassroots Democrats across the country,” he continued. “She is making Georgia a stakes point.”
Harris is polling well ahead of Biden among young people, black voters and Hispanic voters, key demographics that could swing battleground states like Georgia and Arizona.
Democrats have quickly rallied around Harris, whose campaign has already amassed enough enthusiastic delegates to virtually guarantee the party’s nomination. With no other candidates challenging her for the nomination, her campaign has been breaking fundraising records in an attempt to make up for a late start.
Polls have shown Harris leading Biden’s support over Trump, but the focus now is on who her own running mate will be.
