A top Democratic strategist has warned against having high hopes that Vice President Kamala Harris will claim victory over former president Donald Trump in November.
The analysis from David Axelrod comes after President Joe Biden historically dropped out of his re-election campaign, endorsing his vice president to take his place. Since then, a flurry of excitement has gripped the nation as it waits for the already highly anticipated election.
But not every Democrat is pleased with the party’s new nominee—and according to Axelrod, hesitation is the better mindset to have as she goes up against the controversial yet popular Republican in the fall. The strategist said in a recent interview that he sees “justifiable sense of concern” for the Trump campaign, which he noted “could get away from him,” adding that “it’s a race” that “could be lost.”
Harris is currently polling at favorable rates, with a 1.5% lead over Trump and independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Axelrod acknowledged that she “100 percent” has notable support from voters but added that there is also considerable “irrational exuberance” from Democrats.
The strategist attributed the excitement to the “despair” that the party had before, when Biden was still on the ticket. Axelrod is presumably referring to the president’s painful debate performance with Trump back in June, when he struggled to relay his thoughts verbally. Because of this bout of fear that Democrats would lose the White House, they are now “feel[ing] like there’s a chance.”
But he warned that “a lot” will be decided over the next few months, adding that Trump is polling ahead of Harris in a majority of the battleground states and that the race is “absolutely” his to “lose right now.” He also said that everyone in the Democratic party “should be sober” about the reality that Trump “has the advantage” currently.
And Axelrod isn’t the only Democrat wary of Harris’ success. Notoriously liberal Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez—who has notably voiced support for Biden staying on the ticket—pointed out last week that those who believe everyone in favor of Biden stepping down is also in favor of Harris is “mistaken.”
