by Kwon Haeyoung
Published 24 Jul.2024 04:02(KST)
Updated 24 Jul.2024 04:07(KST)
Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to secure the Democratic presidential nomination after gaining the support of senior Democratic leaders as well as key leadership in both the Senate and the House. Having secured the delegates needed to become the Democratic presidential candidate, the 'Harris vs. Trump' showdown is now fully underway ahead of the November election. With a razor-thin contest expected between the two sides, a recent poll showing Vice President Harris leading former President Donald Trump suggests a fierce competition between the Democrats and Republicans for the White House ticket over the next three months.
On the 23rd (local time), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Majority Leader Hakim Jeffries held a joint press conference to announce their support for Vice President Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee.
Leader Schumer expressed his support for Vice President Harris, saying, "Passion has surged everywhere in our party." Leader Jeffries emphasized, "She will fight for freedom, family, and our future." The day before, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also expressed her support, stating, "We must enthusiastically elect Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States."
With this, Vice President Harris has not only secured delegate support to become the Democratic presidential nominee but has also garnered the backing of the Democratic leadership. Earlier, senior Democratic lawmakers and potential presidential candidates within the party had already joined the ranks supporting Vice President Harris. This solidifies the 'Harris momentum' just two days after President Joe Biden announced on the 21st that he would not seek re-election.
According to an internal survey conducted by AP News, which contacted 2,668 Democratic delegates individually, Vice President Harris received their support. This number far exceeds the 'magic number' of 1,976 delegates required for the nomination, effectively signaling that the nomination process is nearly complete.
The New York Times (NYT) assessed, "Harris has gained almost unanimous support within the Democratic Party as Biden stepped aside and endorsed her just two days ago, positioning her as the Democratic challenger to Trump in November."
Bloomberg News reported, "After weeks of internal strife over how to address Biden's disastrous debate performances, the Democratic Party has united. Now, they will take on the task of defeating the Republican presidential candidate, Trump."
With the U.S. presidential race effectively set between Vice President Harris and former President Trump, a poll indicating that the Democrats are expected to win the election has drawn attention.
A survey conducted by Reuters and polling firm Ipsos from the 22nd to 23rd, involving 1,018 voters, showed that in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup, Vice President Harris garnered 44% support, leading former President Trump’s 42% by 2 percentage points (margin of error ±3 percentage points). In a survey conducted on the 1st and 2nd, Trump led by 1 percentage point, and in the survey on the 15th and 16th, Harris and Trump were tied at 44%. However, after President Biden’s withdrawal, Harris succeeded in overtaking Trump in support. In a multi-candidate hypothetical race including independent candidate Robert Kennedy Jr., Vice President Harris led with 42% support, ahead of Trump’s 38% by 4 percentage points.
In this survey, 56% of respondents evaluated Vice President Harris as "mentally sharp and capable of handling challenges." The same evaluation was given to former President Trump by 49% of respondents. With the Democratic presidential candidate expected to change from 81-year-old President Biden to 59-year-old Vice President Harris, it is interpreted that the issue of advanced age may now be directed toward 78-year-old former President Trump.
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