Experts Weigh In on Harris's Fast-Track Campaign Strategy Following Biden's Exit: 'I Think She's Done A Very Good Job'

Last week, President Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, initiating one of the shortest campaigns in modern history. With just three months before Election Day, Harris faces a tight timeline to build her policy platform and connect with voters.

To understand how Harris can navigate this condensed campaign, Politico recently spoke with seasoned campaign managers Patti Solis Doyle (Hillary Clinton's 2008 campaign), Robby Mook (Clinton's 2016 campaign), and Stuart Stevens (Mitt Romney's 2012 campaign).

The experts discussed how Harris should define herself against Donald Trump, attack rather than defend against his potential racist and sexist remarks, and chart a path to 270 electoral votes. They also considered potential vice-presidential picks, with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro frequently mentioned.

Doyle praised Harris's swift and effective campaign start, highlighting her strong rollout and early achievements.

“The last 72 hours have been unbelievable in terms of rollout. She locked up the nomination. Within 36 hours, she got the delegates. She got the endorsements from Congress. She got the money. And her first events have been through the roof,” Doyle said.

“I think she's doing it. I think she is being forceful in her prosecution of Trump. I think she's offering a hopeful view of the future. I think she's doing the politics right,” she added.

Mook emphasized the importance of leveraging the internet and social media to reach undecided voters, noting the internet as a “safe space” for Harris supporters.

“There's a paradox here. This is a really short campaign, and that is great, because she is rested. She is ready to go. I think time is often your enemy on these, particularly as a quasi-incumbent. But on the other hand, time is short, so the imperative is to lock in, first of all, who is she? And second of all, what is her vision?” Mook told the outlet.

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“I think she's done a very good job rolling that out right out of the gate. But there's a question about calcifying that and pushing it deep. And we know that these — they used to be called double-haters but I think they're just persuadable-again or either-way voters — we know that they have the least information about her and they get their news disproportionately from social media,” he added.

Stevens suggested that Harris should attack Trump on his record, particularly on immigration.

“I think I would challenge the premise of the question that she didn't run a good campaign because she didn't win. Because most people don't win. And she did end up on the ticket, which is the next best thing you can do. She won a very tough race for attorney general. She's vice president of the United States, and now she's the Democratic nominee for president. So how far would she have gone if she was a good politician?,” Stevens said.

“I've always felt that when President Biden was still in this, that there had to be two things that needed to be accomplished that were critical to winning. One was that the Democratic candidate needed to represent the future. And it's clear that the Harris campaign understands that,” he added.

Harris must address voters’ economic concerns while promoting her vision for the future. The experts agreed she should focus on change and hope, contrasting herself with Trump's divisive rhetoric.

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This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.