Kamala Harris: Navigating the Week of High Stakes After a Promising Start

Vice President Kamala Harris is navigating a critical juncture in her campaign following a relatively smooth two-week startup. With the first phase behind her, Harris is now faced with the pivotal task of selecting her running mate — a decision that could make or break the campaign’s early momentum. How she manages this and other strategic decisions in the coming days will significantly influence her effectiveness on the campaign trail.

As Harris prepares to announce her running mate, she is acutely aware of the potential to either galvanize or alienate different elements within the Democratic coalition. Her choice will be scrutinized not only for its immediate impact but also for its longer-term implications as the campaign progresses. Harris, who has been through the vetting process herself, can draw on her own experiences from four years ago when she was chosen as Joe Biden’s running mate. Her insights will be invaluable, but the stakes are now even higher with her at the top of the ticket.

The campaign’s next significant move will be a seven-state battleground tour commencing in Philadelphia. The tour will cover key states: Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada. These states are crucial for Democrats, and the early success of Harris’s rollout has revitalized hope that they can be won. States that seemed out of reach when President Joe Biden was the presumptive nominee are now back in play, thanks in part to Harris’s increased competitiveness against Donald Trump.

Campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez has been particularly focused on Arizona and Nevada, states that Biden won in the previous election but that now seem even more attainable with Harris leading the charge. The campaign’s aggressive grassroots efforts have also been noteworthy. Over just twelve days, volunteers made 2.3 million phone calls, knocked on 172,000 doors, and sent nearly 2.9 million text messages. An online organizing event drew over 130,000 attendees, and 750,000 people signed up for a campaign event for the first time. These numbers reflect a highly motivated volunteer base and a potentially rejuvenated electorate.

Monday will be another milestone as Harris formally becomes the Democratic nominee following online balloting among delegates. Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison confirmed that Harris has already secured enough delegates, making the formal vote a formality. This official nomination sets the stage for yet another significant event: a debate between Harris and Trump, which is still subject to final confirmation. Trump’s ambiguous social media post suggests he might be hedging his bets on whether to participate, but Harris’s team is preparing for the original date.

As the campaign intensifies, the coming days will be pivotal for Harris. Her decisions and actions will shape not just her campaign’s trajectory but also the broader Democratic strategy heading into the election. Whether she can maintain her early momentum and navigate these crucial moments will be closely watched by supporters and detractors alike. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and the political landscape is poised for some dramatic developments.