Since Kamala Harris moved to the top of the Democratic ticket, it’s been assumed she would use her boss Joe Biden’s tactic for selecting a running mate ahead of the US presidential election: picking someone with completely different credentials and characteristics, to fill in the gaps in the voting base.
When Biden was running for the nomination in 2020, he pledged to select a black, female politician for his vice president nominee. When he selected Harris, he was also choosing a politician with a different (and far more progressive) political background to himself. She was ranked as one of the most left-wing senators in Washington – having held a long list of socialist policy positions, until she didn’t. Harris was a signal to the progressive wing of the Democrat party that their concerns over issues like healthcare and climate change would be taken seriously in a Biden administration, even if Biden’s own views fell into a more moderate camp.
Britain’s best politics newsletters
You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate for just £1 a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just £1 a monthAlready a subscriber? Log in