Frank Luntz, a prominent pollster and political strategist, has highlighted several Democratic candidates who could step in to replace President Joe Biden and possibly defeat former President Donald Trump in the next presidential election.
Vice President Kamala Harris was notably absent from Luntz's list due to concerns over her polling numbers and potential divisiveness within the Democratic Party, as Mediaite reports.
During his appearance on Squawk Box this past Friday, Luntz was asked by Andrew Ross Sorkin about realistic Democratic contenders if Biden were to step down. Concerns about Biden’s age and stamina have fueled speculation regarding his replacement options.
Interestingly, Luntz did not include Harris in his list of potential candidates. He described Harris as a complicated figure for Democrats, suggesting that her candidacy could lead to significant internal strife within the party.
As Luntz stated, the Democratic Party might find itself in a precarious position if it opts to nominate Harris. This scenario, according to him, could lead Democrats into a "damned if you do, damned if you don’t" dilemma.
Harris' polling numbers have been a topic of debate among political analysts. Over the past six months, her numbers have improved, yet they still do not match those of other potential Democratic candidates.
Delving deeper into the potential pitfalls of her nomination, Luntz pointed out that there might be fierce resistance from within the party, especially from key donors. These donors may not see Harris as the optimal candidate to lead the party against a candidate such as Trump.
He underscored this concern by commenting, “Her numbers are better today than they were six months ago -- right now Joe would be yelling at me -- so she has improved, but they’re going to ask what has she done as vice president?”
In addition, Luntz warned that excluding Harris from the nomination could lead to turmoil within the Democratic camp. The potential chaos ensuing from such a decision could be detrimental to the party’s efforts to mount a united front in the upcoming election.
“It throws everything up in the air. I don’t like to speculate, all I can say is if you take away the nomination from her and you cause the Democrats to fall into utter chaos,” Luntz cautioned.
He remained firm on his stance that her candidacy would lead to significant complications for the Democratic Party. This view was further supported by his observations regarding the divided opinions within the party’s ranks.
During his remarks on Squawk Box, Luntz stressed the importance of careful consideration of the candidates. The wrong choice, he implied, could lead to potentially disastrous consequences for the Democrats’ electoral prospects.
Luntz’s omission of Harris from his list of viable candidates reflects a broader concern about unity and electability within the Democratic Party. As the next election approaches, these discussions are likely to become increasingly prominent.
