Has Kamala Harris got what it takes to beat Donald Trump?

Just one day after Joe Biden revealed he would not be running for re-election, Vice-President Kamala Harris now has a clearer path to becoming the Democratic presidential nominee.

The blog section discusses how defeating Donald Trump in November will be the ultimate challenge, even though it may seem easy. Although having Hillary Clinton as the top candidate brings new strengths for the Democrats, it also highlights weaknesses that were not as prominent with Joe Biden.

Based on the latest surveys, Ms Harris is slightly behind the former president in popularity, a situation that is reminiscent of where Mr Biden was before his groundbreaking announcement. However, there is potential for these numbers to change as we transition from a theoretical comparison to an actual competition.

After weeks of worrying about the president's capabilities, Democrats finally feel energized and hopeful.

All of Ms. Harris's main competitors for the nomination have given their support to her, including former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who still holds a significant role in Democratic politics.

Currently, it appears that the upcoming November election will be closely contested, highlighting the strong divisions between political parties in the United States and the general dislike many voters have towards Trump as a potential leader.

The main task - and chance - for the vice president will be to take advantage of this strong dislike for Trump, appeal to moderate voters in important swing states, and inspire enthusiasm in the Democratic base. In recent weeks, many Democrats were feeling hopeless, but now they need to match the excitement that supporters of the former president have.

This new wave of excitement among Democratic supporters also brings in a large amount of money. Harris's campaign reports that the vice president collected over $80 million in new donations within 24 hours of Biden's announcement, making it the largest single-day fundraising total of any candidate in this election. With nearly $100 million from the Biden-Harris fundraising efforts, Harris now has a strong financial foundation for the upcoming campaign.

If Ms. Harris becomes the chosen candidate, it also takes away one of the key criticisms that Republicans have used against their rival: his age.

For months, the Trump team has been attacking Mr Biden for appearing weak and easily muddled – perceptions that were made even stronger for lots of Americans following the president's hesitant debate showing four weeks ago.

The vice-president, who is 59 years old, will have more energy and be able to present a stronger argument for her party during the campaign. She could also use Trump's age, who is 78, to her advantage as he would be the oldest person to be elected president if he won.

Ms. Harris might also receive more support from African American voters, who polls show have been moving away from Mr. Biden lately. If she can also attract more support from other minority groups and younger voters - similar to the winning coalition of Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012 - it could help her make progress against Trump in the key swing states that will determine the outcome of this year's election.

Her experience as a prosecutor could enhance her reputation for being firm on crime. Although her law enforcement background was seen as a disadvantage during her 2019 bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, resulting in criticism from the left, it could be an asset in a potential campaign against Trump.

The vice president has been leading the administration's efforts on abortion, a topic that has greatly influenced the Democratic base in recent elections. In contrast, Mr. Biden has been hesitant to fully support the issue due to his past record of backing restrictions on the procedure.

Former New York congressman Steve Israel, who led the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said on the BBC's Americast podcast that he believes she serves as a reminder to suburban women in battleground states about the importance of reproductive rights.

"We have made a significant change in the direction of the campaign."

Despite Harris's considerable strengths, some Democrats hesitated to urge Biden to step down at first, as they were wary of the fact that she would become the obvious successor as his running mate.

Even though Ms. Harris has energized Democrats with her stance on abortion, her performance as vice president has been a combination of successes and failures. At the beginning of her term, she was given the responsibility of tackling the reasons behind the migration crisis at the US-Mexico border. However, her handling of the situation, which included a clumsy interview with NBC News anchor Lester Holt in June 2021, led to a decrease in her popularity and made her vulnerable to criticism from conservatives.

Republicans are already criticizing her as the president's "border czar", trying to make her the poster child for the unpopular immigration policies of the Biden administration, as indicated by public opinion polls.

"Democrats in key battleground regions are sensitive about immigration," stated Mr. Israel. "Voters in suburbs are particularly concerned about this issue, whether it is justified or not. They feel that our immigration system lacks effective oversight."

The Trump team will also seek to use the vice-president's experience as a prosecutor against her - by pointing out the former president's efforts in criminal justice reform and criticizing her previous decisions on prosecution and parole.

Another weakness for Harris is her inconsistent history as a candidate. During her Senate campaign in 2016, she didn't have strong competition from Republicans in California, a state known for its Democratic majority.

Her attempt to run for national office on her own did not go well. She wanted to become the Democratic presidential nominee in 2020, but it all fell apart. She started off strong, but things went downhill due to mishandled interviews, a vague plan, and an ineffective campaign. She had to give up before the primary elections even began.

One of the main obstacles for Ms. Harris could be that she is not currently in office, unlike the president. This means she may be able to separate herself from certain aspects of Mr. Biden's history that aren't well-liked, but it also means she is not as familiar to voters as he is.

Get ready for a strong push by Republicans to criticize Ms Harris as inexperienced and too dangerous to be president. Essentially, Trump is now seen as the only reliable option.

The vice-president has an opportunity to create a fresh initial image with the American people in the upcoming days. If she makes a misstep early on, it may lead to a prolonged battle for power that continues into the Democratic national convention in late August. This could result in the party rallying around a different candidate, or facing internal division.

In the last month, we have seen how quickly and drastically the situation can change in the race for the White House. Ms. Harris has secured her spot on the grandest platform in American politics – now she must prove that she is ready to take on the challenge.