A brief history of Kamala Harris and her politics

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United States Vice-President Kamala Harris is now the obvious heir as the Democratic nominee after

US President Joe Biden said he would not seek re-election.

Ms Harris’ ascent is a remarkable turn of fate for a politician whose unpopularity has been viewed as a key reason why Mr Biden initially decided to seek a second term. While Ms Harris, 59, has secured major endorsements and has strong appeal with crucial voting blocs for Democrats – as the first woman of colour to serve as vice-president – there is still a chance others could mount challenges for the nomination.

What do the polls say about Kamala Harris?

In a Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll conducted in early July, 46 per cent of swing-state voters said they trusted Ms Harris to fulfil the duties of the presidency if Mr Biden were no longer able to serve. Some 77 per cent of swing-state Democrats said they supported her to take over for Mr Biden if he were unable to continue. 

In an earlier May poll, Ms Harris trailed Trump by seven percentage points in a hypothetical head-to-head match-up in seven battleground states, wider than the four-point advantage Trump held over Mr Biden in the poll.

Polling released since Mr Biden’s disastrous debate with Republican nominee and former president Donald Trump has offered encouraging signs for Ms Harris. A CNN poll conducted after the debate found that she trailed Trump 45 per cent to 47 per cent among registered voters in a hypothetical match-up, compared with Mr Biden, who trailed Trump 43 per cent to 49 per cent. Ms Harris previously performed worse or as good as the sitting president in most pre-debate polls. 

Ms Harris has also performed slightly better than Mr Biden in polls among young people and Black voters, according to Roshni Nedungadi, chief research officer at the data firm HIT Strategies.

What is her background?

Ms Kamala Harris is the daughter of an Indian immigrant, her late mother Shyamala Gopalan, and a father from Jamaica, Dr Donald Harris.

Her father became a college economics professor and her mother was a breast cancer researcher, whom Ms Harris often credits as her role model. 

In her memoir The Truths We Hold: An American Journey, Ms Harris recalled attending civil rights protests with her parents as a child – a key source of inspiration for her decision to pursue a career as a lawyer, and later in politics.

Ms Harris, 59, identifies as Christian, but also went to Hindu temples with her mother growing up. Her husband, Mr Douglas Emhoff, is Jewish. He is the first Jewish spouse of a vice-president.

Ms Harris attended Howard University and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, the nation’s oldest black sorority.

She has a law degree from UC Law San Francisco and began her career as a deputy district attorney in Oakland, California, in 1990. Ms Harris started her career handling domestic violence and child abuse cases. 

What did she accomplish before she became vice-president?

Ms Harris has been a first in nearly every office she has ever held. In 2003, she was elected San Francisco’s district attorney, becoming the first black woman to be named to the post.

After that, she was elected as the first African American and first woman to serve as California’s attorney-general.

Ms Harris labels herself a progressive prosecutor, often stating that one of her key focuses is criminal justice reform.

That has not spared her from some criticism about her criminal justice record, with some on the left pointing to a rise in convictions. 

In her 2009 book Smart On Crime, Ms Harris wrote about her philosophy of early intervention and rehabilitation for first-time, non-violent offenders. 

In 2016, she was elected to the US Senate representing the State of California. She became the first South Asian senator in history.

As a member of the Judiciary Committee, Ms Harris became known for her lacerating interrogations of Trump administration officials and nominees.

Ms Harris has had her share of difficulties throughout her career in national politics, including some self-inflicted wounds.

Her 2020 presidential campaign started with lofty expectations, but flamed out before the Iowa caucuses as she struggled to convey a clear message to voters and her operation was plagued by infighting.

Ms Harris bowed out of the race in December 2019, but Mr Biden selected her as his running mate in August 2020.

What has Ms Harris done as vice-president?

As vice-president, Ms Harris has made unforced errors and sometimes struggled to communicate. She came under fire for her role in addressing the root causes of migration as crossings at the US-Mexico border surged.

Republicans have pounced on her gaffes and tried to portray her as a ditz.

Ms Harris also had high staff turnover early in her term, with some former aides describing her as a tough boss.

While she faltered with parts of her portfolio such as border security, she has energised women, especially black women who power the Democratic base, and younger voters outraged over the repeal of the Roe v Wade decision that guaranteed a constitutional right to abortion.

Over the last year, Ms Harris has spoken out against gun violence and restrictions on abortion. The White House deployed her on the offensive to counter political opponents, condemning book bans and new reproductive health limitations.

She has travelled the country to speak to constituencies that Mr Biden struggled with, and frequently appears in front of audiences of non-white and young voters, which polls show are among the most disillusioned blocs of the Democratic base. A common refrain of Ms Harris’s is “I love Gen Z.” 

Who are the potential candidates for her running mate?

The conventional wisdom is that Ms Harris will turn to a Democrat governor from a swing state, such as Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro or North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper. The names of

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg

has also come up.

Arizona senator Mark Kelly is another swing-state option. A former astronaut and Navy combat pilot who entered politics only after his wife, former Representative Gabby Giffords, was shot in 2011. Mr Kelly won office in 2020, winning the seat previously held by John McCain.

Which other Democrats could challenge Harris for the nomination?

Concerns about Ms Harris has some Democrats eying additional governors, including Mr Gavin Newsom of California, Mr J. B. Pritzker of Illinois and Mr Wes Moore of Maryland. Mr Pritzker, a billionaire, would have the added advantage of deep pockets that could help fund a White House bid. Unlike Ms Harris, they don’t carry the baggage of Mr Biden’s economic and political record.

Ms Harris has a unique advantage: The vice-president now can spend the

$96 million (S$129 million) Mr Biden’s campaign had on hand

when he exited the race. A new candidate wouldn’t have immediate access to all of Mr Biden’s campaign cash, and would start with a balance of zero. 

Yet, donors who already gave the maximum amount to Mr Biden under US campaign finance law would be allowed to contribute to a new nominee – which could allow a replacement other than Ms Harris to more quickly fill their coffers. BLOOMBERG