Kamala Harris; The first African -American vice president
Kamala Harris’s choice is a historic decision, because she is going to be the first black woman in the history of the United States who chooses to be a vice president of one of the two great political parties. If she and Biden win the elections held on November 3, she will be the first woman to occupy the position of vice president, she is creating history.
You can clearly see the basis of her choice, trying to reach two groups of potential Democratic voters: the group of women and the African -American group.
As for women, who occupy more than half of the American electorate, we find a gender gap for which women tend to vote more democrat (Hillary Clinton obtained 54% of women’s vote). Angry by Trump’s misogynistic attitude and emerge from the #MeToo movement women are increasingly mobilized, so the Democratic Party is betting on this historical moment in which women are energized against Trump.
It is also important is the support of the black community. The number of American voters has reached 30 million and, even more important, 1/3 of them live in some of the most competitive hinge states: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania or Winsconsin. The participation of black voters was the highest in the electoral cycles of 2008 and 2012 (65%), but decreased dramatically in the 2016 elections (60%). With a country increasingly committed to ending racism, especially after the brutal murders of George Floyd or Breonna Taylor, Harris’s choice tries to recover part of that elected electorate in 2016 that I do vote in the Obama era. The presence of Harris, a strong and charismatic black candidate is expected to improve participation between this sector.
Although they have always had the vast majority of votes by African Americans, it is not enough. Harris’s choice tries to ensure this support from the black community and women.
The key to this formula for Biden is the search for an alliance that represents the entire American society, that everyone feels in some way identified with the candidacy; A formula similar to the one she took with Obama to Victoria in 2008. That is, it tries that this Obama – Biden formula that triumphed so much at the time is repeated in the Biden – Harris Union.
Biden’s candidacy cannot give up any vote due to how matches things are and Harry was the perfect combination for it; It has a very strong brand identity: a powerful personal history as a woman of color that gets the American dream (just like Obama), which reminds black and Asian women everywhere who can achieve the wildest dreams of their ancestors. She resembles President Obama with the change message, she is the living example of that change.
She is really a correct choice because, like all vice presidents should do, she complements the main candidate, Biden. In this way he reaches groups or demographic sectors that he does not, whether women (especially after the filtration of his controversial treatment of them), the black community (Harris, as a African -American woman of biracial and immigrant origin, is placed in An excellent position to credibly deliver messages about racial equity, diversity and inclusion) or youth (after many criticisms of President Biden for being considered too old for the position, she is more young and can incite young people, which, which It is important in terms of demographic segmentation). She also represents one more spectrum to the left of the Democratic Party, while Biden looks more conservative.
The contribution that Kamala Harris will make to the candidacy is objective: she is expected that she will increase black and women participation, as well as increase the female vote; This also in some key states to win the elections (California, Texas, Florida, New York or Michigan). From a fundraising perspective, we can see some consequence of her choice, and that is that within 24 hours after the announcement, the Biden campaign raised $ 26 million in donations.
Although surveys in these cases of This specific case, each small marketing campaign is vital; I consider that the candidacies are very close and on November 3 the result will be decided by “a few votes”, so it is important to ensure that two of its main groups of voters, women and black community, appear to exercise suffrage.
It seems to me that, apart from the great symbolism that surrounds the choice of Kamala Harris I hope, for future elections, her candidacy as vice president if she will have great effect on society; We have been living for a few years when social movements are booming, and more and more: the march of women of March 8, protests over the death of George Floyd, etc. They show the growing importance of social issues in today’s society. The union between the great misogyny and racism that Trump has shown without repair during these 4 years and the election of the Democratic Party of a vice president who really represents the people who head these social marches can be a victorious combination
Under my vision, although I like this idea of change that is supposed to truly important matters for another 4 years.
Finally, it seems to me that what is going to have great draft in society, although more subconsciously is the comparison / assimilation with Obama, the parallels between them are important: African -American elite and both have in the mind to resurface identity issues, racial, etc. that have been forgotten in this Trump era. Subconsciously people can assume some similarity between both people, which would be very favorable for the Democratic Party due to the high esteem in former president Barack Obama.
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