CMU students consider Harris, campaign strategies

President Joe biden has dropped out of the presidential race. It’s a move he announced via social media on Sunday, July 21, but in an address from the Oval Office on Wednesday, he provided more of an explanation.

“I believe my record as a president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America’s future, all merited a second term,” he said in the address. “But nothing, nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition.

“So I’ve decided to pass the torch to a new generation.”

As the presumptive nominee to represent that new generation, Vice President Kamala Harris has been collecting endorsements from various leaders of the Democratic party, starting with Biden.

And after breaking several fundraising records in its first two days, the Harris campaign is up and running. But several questions remain:

Who would win in the general election if Harris and former President Donald Trump are the choices?
Will Harris have the delegates to be selected as the Democratic party candidate?
Who will she choose as a running mate to potentially become her vice president?

Steven Alee is the president of the Central Michigan University College Republicans. He said he was planning to vote for Trump before Biden dropped out of the race, and that’s still the case.

“Based on her record as vice president, she’s not fit for the position,” he said. “As a Republican, I see them (Biden and Harris) the same.”

But Evan Carlson, a CMU student who has been a member of the College Democrats and volunteered and worked for multiple Democratic campaigns said the opposite.

“I see her as the Biden administration … while also bringing in the new leadership,” he said. “I believe she is the right candidate and the only candidate.”

Carlson also said he thinks Harris can and will beat Trump in the November election by a significant amount.

“It’s re-engaged independent and Democratic voters to a new face,” he said. “I feel like people are excited now, they have hope.”

Trump’s campaign will have to change its strategy, Alee said, because Biden is no longer their opponent.

“The ‘old and unfit’ campaign against Biden isn’t as relevant now,” he said.

A poll released Thursday by the New York Times found that Harris is polling one percentage point behind Trump among likely voters– five points ahead of where Biden was less than a month ago.

As of Thursday morning, Harris also had 3,284 Democratic delegates behind her, which is far more than the 1,976 she needs to clinch the party's nomination when it’s finalized. That would make her the official presidential candidate for the party and put her on the ballot in November to compete against Trump.

But what about a running mate? Several names have come up, mostly senators and sitting governors, many of whom are from battleground states such as Michigan.

“Based on her history, she’s definitely going to want to pick someone who’s more moderate; someone from a swing state,” Alee said.

Carlson said something similar: someone who can appeal to independent and center-of-the-road voters may be best. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz could make a good option, he said, as a solid communicator, veteran, teacher and someone with experience governing at the national and state levels.

“He knows what it’s like to be a normal person, he knows how much things cost these days,” Carlson said.