Harris Campaign Shows Surge in Voter Engagement; Democracy Also at Stake
Joe Biden’s historic decision to end his run for president interrupted a doom loop that has held American politics captive for too long, and the rapid coalescence behind Kamala Harris at the top of the Democratic ticket offered some relief. It also ignited a rush of political energy, and an influx of funding.
In the 48 hours following Biden’s withdrawal, there were nearly 40,000 new voter registrations, 80% of which were young voters aged 18-35. Recent polls show that Harris is stronger with young, nonwhite voters than Biden was before his withdrawal, which is a sign that recovering these voters — once a sure-thing for Democrats — is at least possible.
In the first week after Biden exited the race, the Harris campaign received a record-breaking $200 million in campaign contributions. With less than 100 days to go until the election, which many say could determine the fate of American democracy, these developments seem significant. But are they? A Harris win in November might forestall the fall of American democracy, but it won’t secure its survival.
History suggests that regardless of the political party in power, the consistent drivers of American policy and practice center on capitalism, American exceptionalism, racism and a deep-seated refusal to collectively acknowledge and make amends for an ugly past with persistent negative ramifications. As I see it, these are the factors upon which the fate of democracy depends.
According to the Brookings Institution, the wealth of Black Americans is increasing, but so is the wealth gap between black and white households. The Brookings report further notes that lower average wealth for Black families is the result of “past and present discrimination in critical markets —including housing, banking, taxation, higher education.”
Though conducted prior to the withdrawal of Biden, and the announcement of a presidential campaign from Harris, a June 2024 Pew Research Center report on cultural issues and the 2024 election found that Biden voters and Trump voters differ dramatically in their views on race and ethnicity in America. Some of the starkest differences emerged “over the degree to which Black Americans continue to be affected by the legacy of slavery and whether White Americans benefit from societal advantages Black Americans do not have.”
Real world legal, legislative and policy battles on issues like critical race theory, affirmative action and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives are examples of how this tension plays out. The report notes further that “gaps between Biden and Trump supporters over perceptions of the impact of the nation’s growing diversity are nearly as wide.” It’s hard to imagine that these findings would be any less dramatic if they had compared Harris voters to Trump voters.
As I see it, a Harris run and potential win may spark a sliver of hope for some that Democracy in America may survive. I hope they aren’t fooled. History suggests that unless and until American citizens and American leaders across all sectors – public and private – reckon with racism and quench the thirst for profits over people, the future of American Democracy will hang in the balance.
No president – not even a Black, popular, effective one – can pull Democracy back from the brink without a consistently vocal and active electorate, effective legislators and lawmakers willing to lead, and judges at every level who prioritize justice over politics.
