CNN’s political data analyst, Harry Enten, gave Vice President Kamala Harris’ fledgling presidential campaign some bad news during a Friday segment amid claims that she’s got a lot of “momentum” after being anointed as the candidate to replace President Joe Biden, who dropped his reelection bid earlier this week. Despite receiving high-profile endorsements from Democratic heavyweights, including former President Barack Obama, Enten suggests that the supposed surge in Harris’s popularity might not be as robust as it seems.
Enten highlighted the subtleties in recent polling data, which could be pivotal as the Democratic Party prepares for what many anticipate will be a Harris nomination. “I think there’s all this talk of all this Harris momentum. Maybe there’s a slight bit of momentum, but I would argue it’s actually a little bit smaller than folks think,” Enten explained on CNN. His analysis arrives at a critical juncture for the Democratic Party, which officially adopted rules on Wednesday paving the way for a probable nomination of Harris. The scrutiny of Harris’s possible running mate is also underway, with an announcement anticipated before August 7.
“So pre-Biden dropping out, look, Trump was up by two over Harris. We look at the polls now this week. What do we see? We see Trump is up by one over Harris,” he said. The minor shift in polling, according to Enten, indicates that the change in candidates might be more influential than any genuine momentum for Harris against Trump. “The massive change is actually the change of candidates because prior to Biden dropping out, he trailed by six points among these, in these exact same polls that we look at here, where Harris was only trailing by two points. So the movement is actually from Biden to Harris, not actually Harris herself necessarily moving,” Enten explained.
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The vice president, who is the first black woman to head a major party’s ticket, has enjoyed a surge in popularity in recent polls as she has narrowed the gap with former President Donald Trump and gathered key Democratic Party leaders to back her campaign. Thus far, no opponent has emerged to challenge her, setting Harris on a smooth trajectory towards a party’s convention in Chicago next month. Former President Barack Obama, who for several days considered endorsing a “blitz primary” that would attract uncommitted delegates influenced by various candidates, has now ruled that out with his endorsement of Harris.
Among the array of potential running mate candidates, a surprising name has emerged: Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. In an interview with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, Buttigieg expressed his unequivocal support for Harris, after the historic nature of Biden’s decision to step down.
“We had a great conversation,” Buttigieg said. “You know, I have campaigned alongside her. I have traveled with her. I have served with her. And she’s going to be an extraordinary leader for the ticket, for the party, and for the country as president.” Buttigieg maintained a diplomatic stance When asked if he would be willing to serve as Vice President.
“She’s going to make that decision. She’s going to do it based on what’s best for the country, best for the party, and best for the ticket. I will do everything in my power to make sure that she is the next president because it’s so important and it’s really most of all important in terms of how everyday life is going to change,” he said, leaving the door open to the possibility without overtly asserting his ambition.
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