WASHINGTON, USA: As Kamala Harris prepares to be officially confirmed as the Democratic nominee for the US presidency at the upcoming Chicago convention, the question looms: Is America ready to elect a Black woman as its leader? Harris, who would be the first woman and only the second Black person to hold the office, is betting that the nation is prepared for this historic moment.
Harris, 59, has already broken numerous barriers in her career. Born to an Indian mother and a Jamaican father, she was the first woman, African American, and Asian American to serve as California’s attorney general. In 2021, she became the first female vice president of the United States, as well as the first African American and Asian American to hold that position.
Despite these achievements, Harris’s initial bid for the presidency in 2019 fell short, as her campaign failed to gain significant momentum. However, her selection as Joe Biden’s running mate ultimately led to her current position, setting the stage for her presidential run. If she succeeds in defeating Donald Trump in the November election, she will shatter yet another glass ceiling, becoming the first female president of the United States.
A September 2023 survey by the Pew Research Center found that a majority of Americans believe gender should not play a significant role in choosing a president. Sixty percent of respondents said a female president would handle pressure as well as a male president, and 27 percent believed she might perform even better. However, historical and systemic biases remain a challenge.
Regina Bateson, a political science professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, points to “strategic discrimination” as a significant barrier. This phenomenon occurs when party insiders, delegates, and donors withhold support from a female candidate of color, fearing that voters might be biased against her. However, Harris, having taken over from Biden after his withdrawal, has bypassed the primary process, where these biases often come into play.
Harris’s campaign, flanked by her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, aims to appeal to all Americans, regardless of race or gender. Her supporters include groups like “White Dudes for Harris,” which recently raised over $4 million for her campaign. Despite the optimism, Harris faces relentless attacks from her opponents. Former President Trump has attempted to undermine her by questioning her racial identity, while his running mate, J.D. Vance, has sparked controversy with comments dismissing the Democratic Party as being run by “childless cat ladies.”
Harris, who is married to Douglas Emhoff and has helped raise his two children, responded to these attacks by calling out their divisiveness. As she moves forward with her historic campaign, the nation will be watching closely to see if America is indeed ready to embrace this groundbreaking candidacy.
