High-ranking Democrats believe Kamala Harris does not have what it takes to serve as the future of the party, according to reporting by the New York Times.
The New York Times reports that Democrats have become increasingly frustrated with the vice president’s inability to define her tenure in office. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in private conversations that Harris would not be able to win an election because she does not possess the necessary political instincts to get through a primary, according to The New York Times.
Harris has been tasked with handling difficult issues such as immigration, but the Times report suggests that she has not been able to utilize the spotlight to her advantage. (RELATED: Where Has Kamala Harris Been For Seven Months?)
She has also ducked opportunities attach herself to critical issues, such as last year’s baby formula shortage, according to reporting to The New York Times. The Times reports that Harris initially turned down Biden’s request that she meet a shipment of baby formula at Dulles airport in an effort to underscore the administration’s efforts to fix the issue. She then met with a shipment of formula a month later.
The report also claims Democrats are worried that any attempt to remove Harris from the ticket will anger key constituencies within their base. Biden promised a female on his ticket during a 2020 Democratic primary debate and has made efforts to center African American women within the party, in part by appointing a record number of African American female justices to federal courts.
Polls also suggest that most Americans have not been impressed with Harris’ performance so far. Only 39 percent of Americans approve of Harris, while 52.5 percent disapprove, according to the FiveThirtyEight polling average. A YouGov poll shows 55 percent of Americans holding an unfavorable opinion of her.
The YouGov poll sampled 1500 voters with from Jan. 29-31 with a 3.2 percent margin of error.