According to CNN Report, Vice President Kamala Harris’ team is standing firm, dismissing the idea of replacing President Joe Biden on the ticket despite growing calls for Biden to step aside and new polls showing Harris performing better than Biden in a theoretical race against Donald Trump.
Harris’ campaign staff has been instructed to stay the course, focus on the Biden-Harris ticket, and avoid distractions, according to a source who spoke to CNN.
During a virtual staff meeting on Monday, similar guidance was reiterated, urging staff to follow Harris’ lead and maintain their focus, another source confirmed to CNN.
This internal directive mirrors Harris’ public messaging on the campaign trail. On Tuesday, Harris firmly rejected the notion of running in place of Biden in a brief interview with CBS.
“Joe Biden is our nominee. We beat Trump once, and we’re going to beat him again, period,” Harris stated.
“I am proud to be Joe Biden’s running mate,” she later emphasized.
A recent CNN poll conducted after last week’s debate indicates Harris is nearly tied with Trump in a hypothetical matchup, with 47% of registered voters supporting Trump and 45% backing Harris. The result, within the margin of error, suggests no clear leader in such a scenario.
Former Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan has publicly urged Democrats to consider replacing Biden with Harris.
“President Biden’s administration is touted as the most successful in modern history, and she was right there with him for three-and-a-half years,” Ryan told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Tuesday. “She would articulate that record more clearly than the president.”
In response to the debate’s aftermath, Harris’ staff reached out to Democratic officials to reassure them, remind them of Biden’s achievements, and urge unity, CNN previously reported.
Sources close to Harris consistently emphasize her loyalty to Biden, asserting that her public statements since the CNN-hosted debate reflect her true stance.
“Some people don’t understand the rules, some are stirring the pot, and some have their own agendas,” one source close to Harris said regarding the calls for her to replace Biden. “But for her, there is one plan and focus, and it starts with Joe Biden and this country.”
Biden and Harris are scheduled to have lunch at the White House on Wednesday. The two have had multiple conversations since Thursday’s debate, according to sources familiar with their discussions.
Twitter
Facebook