With the 2024 US presidential election looming, Democrats are starting to question whether the Biden-Harris pair is up for another four years. According to White House sources, Vice President Kamala Harris has not proven herself enough and has even received criticism from President Biden himself.

Despite what appears to be a good relationship on camera, Biden and Harris may not be getting along as well as they used to.

Fellow colleagues in Washington and the White House, along with Biden himself, have voiced concerns that Harris has not been pulling her fair share of the weight. And experts say this can hurt Biden’s chances of reelection if things don’t turn around.

Some have suggested that if Harris doesn’t put in more effort to improve her image soon, she could cost Biden another four years in the oval office.

Declining Popularity

Although Harris was initially a hit, given that she was the first female VP, according to statistics, Harris’s popularity rating has rapidly dropped during her two years in office.

She now has only a 39% favourability rating, which is below Biden’s rating of 42.3%. In November, her approval was even as low as 28% percent.

Political experts argue that serious effort must be taken by Harris if she is serious about retaining her role. Her next visit to Africa can be good for PR purposes, some suggest, as, it will give more credibility to her foreign policy background.

Why Harris Matters

Biden is currently 80 years old and will be 82 when he takes office should he win a second term. This makes him the first octogenarian US President in history but also raises concerns about his ability to fulfill his duties.

Should anything happen to Biden, Harris, 58, would take his place.

With this scenario appearing to be more realistic over time, political experts suggest that having a strong and likable vice president is more important than ever. Especially if Biden runs against Trump, who has been gaining points in polls lately.

However, replacing Harris at this point, some suggest, is not a good idea. And Biden has also reportedly said that there aren’t any decent Democratic candidates to fill the role anyway.

It is also suggested that Biden would actually lose voters by taking Harris out of the picture, considering that she is not only the first female VP but also the first Black and Asian-American woman in the position.

“I think this is actually one of the fundamental strategic challenges for [Biden] ... how to navigate this,” reports one insider, adding, “It's almost impossible for them to make a change.”

It’s Not All Bad

Despite growing concerns about Harris’s ability to do her job, there are plenty of people that continue to back her. 

Ben LaBolt, White House communications director, for example, was quick to stand up for Harris and point out her many wins. 

“[The] VP has shaped and helped pass historic legislation that is improving lives and lowering costs for working families across the country,” he said, adding that she is also “leading the fight against the rollback of women’s rights” and “led efforts to expand broadband and close the digital divide.”

Another Democratic source said, “If he did not think she was capable, he would not have picked her. But it is a question of consistently rising to the occasion…. I think his running for re-election is less about her and more about him, but I do think that she and the Democratic bench [are] a factor.”

Biden has not yet announced his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election and has not confirmed whether Harris will be running at his side again.