Kamala Harris can’t shake doubts about her political future

President Joe Biden could soon be out — but that doesn’t guarantee Vice President Kamala Harris is in.

If Biden cedes to overwhelming political pressure and steps aside as the Democratic presidential nominee, it might seem natural that Harris — as Biden’s political heir since 2020 — would inherit the party’s mantle and its resources, with Democrats unifying behind her in the name of defeating former President Donald Trump. That could still be the case for Harris.

Yet for months, even those now nudging Biden out the door haven’t been confident that Harris would be a winning presidential candidate, reviving some of the same concerns that sank her White House run and dogged an uneven vice presidency. Clips and memes of her odd and circuitous sound bites have proliferated on social media. While some Democrats cheer her push on abortion rights, Republicans have made clear they intend to go directly at Harris’ White House work on the southern border.

Even as calls for Biden’s exit have crescendoed, prominent Democratic officials and donors have continued to cast doubt on the wisdom of swapping in Harris. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who has emerged as a steadfast voice for Biden staying put, reminded her followers on Instagram Live late Thursday night that the party is not fully in Harris’ camp.

“If you think there is a consensus among the people who want Joe Biden to leave, that they would support Vice President Harris, you would be mistaken,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “I’m in these rooms, I see what they say in conversations. A lot of them are not interested in removing the president. They’re interested in removing the whole ticket.”