Vice President Kamala Harris is facing a significant lack of approval from the American public, marking a level of dissatisfaction not seen since the days of Al Gore’s vice presidency. A recent poll conducted this month revealed that only 32% of registered voters hold a positive view of the Democrat, while 49% have a negative perception of her. This resulting net-negative rating of -17 is reported to be “the lowest for any vice president in the poll’s history,” as noted by NBC News. Additionally, the poll found that 39% of respondents have a “very negative” view of Harris.
To put this historically low rating into perspective, NBC News analyzed surveys dating back to 1995. The only other vice president to receive a negative split was Mike Pence, with a rating of 34% positive and 38% negative in October 2019, resulting in a -4 rating. President Joe Biden, on the other hand, barely achieved a positive rating during his time as vice president in December 2010, with 34% positive and 33% negative, resulting in a +1 split. Comparatively, Dick Cheney had a more favorable rating in May 2003, with a +23 split derived from a 47% positive rating and a 24% negative rating. The earliest data examined was from March 1995, when Al Gore received a 42% positive rating and a 27% negative rating, resulting in a +15 split.
Despite being the first woman, first black American, and first South Asian American to hold the office of vice president, Harris has struggled to overcome criticism that she has not taken her role as a leader in the Biden administration’s efforts to address the migration challenge at the U.S.-Mexico border seriously. Additionally, her public speaking appearances have drawn mockery due to what some perceive as frequent verbal missteps.
When President Biden announced his 2024 re-election campaign in April, he decided to keep Harris as his running mate, despite her poor approval ratings. Reports indicated that the White House and Biden’s campaign were working on reshaping her image, as there were concerns that she could negatively impact the ticket.
Defenders of Harris, such as former White House chief of staff Ron Klain and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, have argued that racism and sexism play significant roles in the vice president’s lack of popularity. In late April, Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) expressed confidence in Harris, stating that she is prepared to be president if the need arises.
The NBC News poll also revealed growing concerns about President Biden’s fitness to serve, with 68% of registered voters expressing moderate to major concerns about his mental and physical health. Furthermore, only 43% approved of Biden’s job performance, while 53% disapproved.
Despite these concerns, the hypothetical general election rematch presented in the survey showed Biden leading with 49% support against former President Donald Trump, who typically leads in GOP primary polls, with 45% support. The survey also examined a matchup between Biden and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, resulting in a tie at 47% each.
Conservative radio host Erick Erickson commented on the poll, highlighting the majority’s deep concerns about Biden’s physical and mental state, as well as Harris’ unpopularity. Nonetheless, the poll indicates that Biden and Harris would still come out ahead in a race against Trump. Erickson suggested that for the GOP, the key is to distance themselves from Trump, an approach that some within the party are unwilling to take.