ECNETNews, NEW YORK, NY, Mon. July 22, 2024. As an independent voter and a Caribbean immigrant, the prospect of having a U.S. President with Caribbean roots is exhilarating. Despite this potential, Vice President Kamala Harris appears to distance herself from her Caribbean heritage. Her official biography highlights her as the “first woman, the first Black American, and the first South Asian American vice president,” yet her approval ratings remain low.
In 2021, a Caribbean collective aimed to celebrate Harris as the first Caribbean American Vice President, a fact often overlooked by mainstream discourse. The initiative sought to emphasize her Caribbean heritage and its significance to our communities. However, Harris’ acknowledgment of her roots was minimal, leading many in the Caribbean community to feel overlooked, especially in contrast to her frequent references to her South Asian background.
Despite these grievances, the hope remains that Harris can challenge the prevailing xenophobia represented by certain political voices. There is a strong desire for her to embody the spirit of trailblazers like Shirley Chisholm. However, current polling suggests challenges ahead, with a recent survey indicating that Donald Trump leads Harris by 3 points, 51 percent to 48 percent. An aggregate of 26 national polls shows her trailing Trump by 4.5 points nationally, while President Biden faces a smaller deficit of just 3 points.
The political landscape reveals an underlying skepticism regarding Harris as a viable candidate against Trump. Speculation suggests President Biden shares similar concerns about Harris’s electability, reflected in his prolonged tenure and insistence on his unique ability to win against Trump.
Harris’s previous departure from the presidential primary race in 2020 and her limited visibility since assuming the vice presidency raise further questions about her candidacy. Many within the Democratic Party have remained silent regarding Biden’s challenges, perhaps understanding that Harris might not be the strongest option moving forward.
This perspective touches on deeper societal issues, including lingering racism and sexism in America, which seem more pronounced as the 2024 election approaches. The nation’s history illustrates the hurdles faced by candidates like Harris, suggesting that systemic biases could impede her chances of success.
The experience of Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign serves as a cautionary tale, illustrating the barriers women, particularly those of color, encounter in a patriarchal political landscape. Republican rhetoric continues to fuel division, especially in key Electoral College states.
As Democrats strategize for the upcoming election, there might be merit in a more inclusive primary process, allowing established candidates alongside Harris to vie for the nomination. Figures like Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker could present formidable alternatives. Relying solely on Harris, whose ratings lag behind Trump, may prove detrimental to the party’s prospects for 2024.
