Can Kamala Harris beat Donald Trump? The VP is top choice to replace Joe Biden
After President Joe Biden’s performance at the presidential debate, there have been calls for Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him on the ticket.
President Joe Biden’s performance at the first debate against presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump was heavily criticized after he mumbled, failed to answer some questions, and appeared to lose his train of thought. The debate called into question Biden’s mental fitness to serve as president, and affected his approval rating, which has sunk to a new low.
Although the president has since tried to explain the reason for his poor showing, the event has led to calls from some Democrats for the incumbent to step down and make way for another candidate.
Among the names that have been bandied about to replace him is that of Vice President Kamala Harris. There are four months left before the presidential election, and the question is, can she gather enough momentum before then and defeat Trump?
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Can Kamala Harris beat Donald Trump? The VP is top choice to replace Joe Biden
A poll conducted by CNN shows voters believe the Democrats will have a better chance at winning in November if Biden withdraws from the race and lets another candidate take his place.
Surveys this year have consistently shown Trump leading over Biden, with the Republican leading by six points, 49% to 43%. However, the latest poll indicates that independent voters have grown more skeptical of both candidates.
Among all the possible alternatives to Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris ranked the highest in the survey. In a hypothetical contest, 47% would vote for Trump, while 45% would choose Harris. With only a two-point difference, there would be no definitive winner, taking into account the poll’s margin of error.
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How other possible Democrat candidates fared
The other potential replacements did not rate as highly as the vice president, but their numbers were similar to those of Biden. In the survey involving speculative matchups, California Gov. Gavin Newsom garnered 43% to Trump’s 48%, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg got 43% versus Trump’s 47%, while Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer scored 42% to Trump’s 47%.