Can a racially and culturally divided country elect a multi-precedent-setting candidate?

If Vice President Kamala Harris earns the nomination to replace President Joe Biden on the Democratic presidential ticket ahead of this fall's election, she will rack up an unprecedented number of firsts. However, the things that would make her a historic nominee have also presented an uphill battle for Harris, especially in an increasingly divided country. 

The child of immigrant parents, Harris is already the first Black, Asian American, and female vice president and could be the first presidential candidate in those categories as well. Harris would also have the distinction of being the first nominee in an interracial marriage. Her husband, second gentleman Douglas Emhoff, also happens to be Jewish, another first. Unfortunately, all of these facets of her identity have become fodder for racist and sexist personal attacks, both online and in the media. Is it possible for Harris to persist in this polarized environment and snag a historic win?

What did the commentators say?

If Harris is nominated, it will be a "remarkable first for this country," said Martha Johnson, associate professor of government at Northeastern University. However, "many questions remain about the process moving forward," which in many ways "will not be easy," Johnson said. Research shows evidence of "sexism and racism in American politics both explicit and purposeful and more subtle, for example, in media coverage," and women of color are often targeted. In down-ticket elections, voters "don't appear to discriminate strongly against women once they are on the ballot and have the full backing of their party and donors." But that may be different for a presidential election, she said, alluding to the sexism Hillary Clinton faced. 

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The left appears to have embraced that Black voters, "traditionally the most unshakable voting bloc in their party's fold," will be "crucial to their chances of victory," Charles Blow said in The New York Times. By choosing Harris as a replacement candidate, Democrats are "giving themselves the best chance to counter the Republican effort; skipping over her would have been politically catastrophic." With the abuse she faces due to her identity, her line of defense "has to be a political force far broader than the Black community," because her candidacy "represents nothing less than the preservation of our constitutional order." Democrats must recognize that by pushing for Biden's exit, "they're now responsible for Harris' success," he said. "Trading Biden for Harris is too big of a gamble to be allowed to fail."

It's worth noting that there is racism and sexism in our country and that "these are important forces in our culture," Perry Bacon said in The Washington Post. "But I don't think that Harris cannot win or that she is not electable based on her race and gender." She could have a shot at winning "because the country is so polarized" and "Trump is so unpopular." Concerningly, however, it "seems like Trump is likely to win." And if Harris loses, "we're going to have another round of discourse about whether it was race or gender." Still, Harris "can win."

What next?

Republican leaders have taken note of the discriminatory attacks being lobbed at Harris, and some are speaking out against it. At a closed-door meeting of House Republicans on Tuesday, National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) urged lawmakers to stick to criticizing Harris for her role in the administration policies. "This election will be about policies and not personalities," House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told reporters after the meeting. He insisted that it's not personal regarding Harris, and "her ethnicity or her gender have nothing to do with this whatsoever." 

Nikki Haley, one of Trump's Republican primary opponents and the daughter of Indian immigrants, criticized members of her party for calling Harris a  "D.E.I. hire," using the abbreviation for diversity, equity, and inclusion. "It's not helpful," Haley said to CNN. Instead, she urged Republicans to focus on her record. "You don't need to talk about what she looks like or what gender she is." Time will tell if admonishment from the party will quell some of the negative attention directed at Harris' identity.