President Joe Biden’s campaign is conducting a survey comparing Vice President Kamala Harris directly against former President Donald Trump, the GOP frontrunner. This poll, reported by The New York Times, emerges amidst internal doubts within the Democratic Party and signals a potential shift in their 2024 strategy.
Sources familiar with the campaign’s analytics, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the information, revealed that this is perhaps the first assessment since the presidential debate to gauge Harris’ viability as the Democratic frontrunner. The specifics of the survey’s intentions remain undisclosed, but it hints at the campaign’s behind-the-scenes efforts to test alternative strategies as Biden navigates through a turbulent political landscape.
Reports indicate a significant shift within Biden’s close circle of advisers and aides, with many believing the President might need to reconsider his 2024 campaign plans. According to a New York Times report, there is an increasing belief among these insiders that Biden should step aside, and discussions are underway on how to broach this delicate subject with him.
A faction of prominent lawmakers has started to vocalize their opinions that Biden should either withdraw from the race or reevaluate his intentions to run again. Contrasting views within his team suggest that while some top aides doubt Harris’ potential to win, other supporters and donors see her as a more dynamic and compelling figure post-debate, capable of more effectively communicating the Democratic Party’s ideals.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has subtly indicated to donors his openness to supporting a Democratic presidential ticket without Biden at the helm, as reported by Axios. While publicly Schumer maintains his support, stating he is “for Joe,” private conversations suggest he is considering other possibilities. Schumer has engaged with donors to discuss potential strategic directions for the Democratic Party, a move informed by insights from three individuals close to these discussions.
Prominent Democratic fundraiser George Clooney also suggested that Biden should withdraw his candidacy following a debate performance that was widely seen as underwhelming—partly attributed by the campaign to Biden suffering from a cold.
In a memo addressed to their campaign staff, Jennifer O’Malley Dillon and Julie Chavez Rodriguez, chair and manager of Biden’s campaign, delineated their strategic vision moving forward. The memo, sent on Thursday, emphasized the stability of Biden’s position despite alternative narratives.
“In addition to what we believe is a clear pathway ahead for us, there is also no indication that anyone else would outperform the president vs. Trump,” the leaders stated. “Hypothetical polling of alternative nominees will always be unreliable, and surveys do not take into account the negative media environment that any Democratic nominee will encounter. The only Democratic candidate for whom this is already baked in is President Biden.”
The communication from campaign leadership acknowledged some shifting dynamics in voter support, though they downplayed its significance. “The movement we have seen, while real, is not a sea-change in the state of the race,” the memo clarified.
Biden’s political destiny, however, may hinge significantly on his upcoming performance at a news conference scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Thursday during the NATO summit in Washington.
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