LEESBURG, Va. — House Democrats said they would welcome Vice President Kamala Harris to campaign for them this year, despite her dismal approval ratings.
Harris spoke to Democrats at their annual retreat Wednesday. Afterward, several members praised Harris for her efforts as VP.
“She’s an asset on the campaign trail,” Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.) told us. “She is an incredible surrogate. I’ve welcomed her to my community willingly and would be delighted to have her come back.”
Both Harris and President Joe Biden have struggled with approval ratings in the mid-30s — anemic numbers that Democrats privately fear could significantly harm their own reelection prospects. Biden continues to lag behind former President Donald Trump in head-to-head polls.
Harris has had difficulty breaking out as she’s been tasked with a sprawling — and often thankless — agenda that includes everything from leading the administration’s response to the border crisis to reproductive rights.
Despite that, House Democrats assert Harris has done a good job in her role. She spoke to members about abortion rights, gun violence and health care.
Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.) said Harris was “results-oriented.” And Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) praised Harris for emphasizing abortion rights — an issue that became central to the vice president’s portfolio after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade — and ensuring the administration doesn’t forget about underserved communities.
“I’ve never seen the kind of resources coming into communities like mine before and have never felt the level of compassion and support from an administration,” Escobar told us. “It’s really important to give credit where credit is due.”
Biden will address House Democrats in Leesburg this afternoon.
— Mica Soellner
