Ignatius claimed another option to strengthen his campaign would be to replace Harris if Biden didn’t step down. He said, “Biden could encourage a more open vice-presidential selection process that could produce a stronger running mate. There are many good alternatives, starting with now-Mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass, whom I wish Biden had chosen in the first place, or Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.”
The author pointed out the vice president’s shortcomings, writing, “She is less popular than Biden, with a 39.5 percent approval rating, according to polling website FiveThirtyEight. Harris has many laudable qualities, but the simple fact is that she has failed to gain traction in the country or even within her own party.”
Still, Ignatius acknowledged there is some risk to replacing Harris, adding, “But breaking up the ticket would be a free-for-all that could alienate Black women, a key constituency. Biden might end up more vulnerable.”
The Intelligencer’s features writer Eric Levitz wrote a piece Wednesday, titled, “The Case for Biden to Drop Kamala Harris.” In it, he argued that because the Democratic Party sees that “sticking with Biden is the party’s best option,” despite his low polling, the current vice president should get the boot as her numbers are lower.
Levitz stated, “However bad Biden’s numbers are, Vice-President Kamala Harris’s look worse. A CBS News–YouGov poll released last week found 42 percent of Americans saying that the job Harris is doing makes them think worse of the Biden administration, compared to just 18 percent who said it makes them feel better about the White House.”