Biden campaign secretly begins to measure Kamala Harris' performance as hypothetical Democratic Party candidate

The campaign of President Joe Biden has begun to evaluate the viability of Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party's presidential candidate, through a discreet poll of voters that measures her popularity compared to Donald Trump.

According to three sources close to the poll, who asked not to be identified due to the sensitive nature of the information, this is the first time since the last presidential debate that Biden advisers have analyzed Harris' ability to lead the Democratic ticket. Details about the motives behind the poll or the intended use of its results have not been disclosed. However, the move could be interpreted as an attempt to gather data that would either justify Biden's continuation as a candidate or, conversely, demonstrate the challenges facing his re-election.

The decision to evaluate Harris comes against an increasingly critical political backdrop for Biden. There was harsh reaction to his performance in the recent presidential debate, with widespread criticism of his lack of clarity and his inability to stand up to Donald Trump. This growing perception of weakness has been accentuated by an increasing number of calls for his resignation as the nominee from all sides including prominent Democratic lawmakers, influential media and donors, who openly question whether Biden is the best candidate to secure an election victory.

Some Democratic senators, including Michael Bennet of Colorado and Peter Welch of Vermont, have openly expressed concerns about Biden's candidacy, with Welch being the first to explicitly call for him to withdraw. Senator Chuck Schumer, the majority leader, has publicly maintained his support for Biden, although reports suggest he would be open to considering an alternative.

The Democracy Alliance, an influential network of liberal donors, also released a memo underscoring its commitment to fund House races, but without directly mentioning Biden, reflecting uncertainty within the party about his ability to lead a successful campaign against Trump.

Likewise, hugely influential media such as the Boston Globe, The New York Times, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, The Economist, The Chicago Tribune, and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution have also expressed critical views, increasing pressure on the president.

Internal debate in the Biden campaign.

Jennifer O'Malley Dillon, Biden's campaign manager, and Julie Chavez Rodriguez, his deputy director, recently stressed in a memo the importance of keeping the president as the nominee because they consider him the strongest option to stand up to Trump. "There is no indication that anyone else would outperform the president vs. Trump," they wrote, questioning the reliability of polls testing alternative candidates.

Despite these efforts to project unity, however, the White House and the Biden campaign face a growing critical assessment of who should head the Democratic ticket.

Kamala Harris' influence increases

Although Kamala Harris has maintained her loyalty to Biden, her role in the campaign is undergoing strategic changes, with increased participation in political events and activities such as her presence at the Fourth of July picnic and fireworks, an event she did not usually attend in the past.