CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - In wake of President Biden's unprecedented decision to leave his reelection campaign, local Democratic influencers believe Vice President and possible nominee Kamala Harris can not only be competitive but defeat Donald Trump.
Praising the president for making a "principled decision," U.S. IL Rep. Danny Davis told WBBM Sunday that if Harris becomes the Democratic he's confident she would win.
"I believe she has the experience, the understanding, and she will have a great team of supporters…The Democrats in this country, the people who believe in democracy, the people who believe in moving forward and not going backwards, it frightens me that to think Donald Trump could be president of the United States," Davis said.
Longtime Democratic strategist and Peter Giangreco said in an interview with WBBM that Biden's announcement resets the race for Democrats.
"Now, we can go forward with a presidential campaign that's about what the next four years are going to be like instead of debating about the health and well-being of the president," Giangreco said.
He added that Harris could attack Trump for his proposed economic strategies.
"I think really stay focused on what the next four years look like," he said. "I think there's two clear economic directions. Trump wants to raise tariffs which will drive inflation through the roof."
A recent poll from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about 6 in 10 Democrats believe Harris would do a good job in the top slot. About 2 in 10 Democrats don't believe she would, and another 2 in 10 say they don't know enough to say.
A former prosecutor and U.S. senator from California, Harris' own bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination imploded before a single primary vote was cast. She later became Biden's running mate, but she struggled to find her footing after taking office as vice president. Assigned to work on issues involving migration from Central America, she was repeatedly blamed by Republicans for problems with illegal border crossings.
However, Harris found more prominence as the White House's most outspoken advocate for abortion rights after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. She has also played a key role in reaching out to young people and voters of color.
In addition, Harris' steady performance after Biden's debate debacle solidified her standing among Democrats in recent weeks.
Even before Biden's endorsement, Harris was widely viewed as the favorite to replace him on the ticket. With her foreign policy experience and national name recognition, she has a head start over potential challengers, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Listen to WBBM Newsradio now on Audacy!
Sign up and follow WBBM Newsradio
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok
