NBC News described the mood among Pennsylvania Democrats as a mixture of “disillusionment” and “embarrassment.”
After President Joe Biden announced he will not seek re-election and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him, Pennsylvania voters are reacting to the switch. Some Western Pennsylvania voters thought Biden’s decision to not run for reelection was inevitable after his disastrous debate performance last month.
After that debate, Biden’s mental fitness was called into question after the President meandered, misspoke, and failed to recall key facts of his record. Trump supporter Scott Wolfe told Triblive.com that Harris is likely to present a larger challenge for the former Republican president while liberal Savannah Vilsack fears the election is now lost, saying “Is she really going to do the job? Biden was our best choice.”
Voters in Bucks County criticized Biden’s move and his endorsement of Harris, likening it to “fantasy football type of politics” in which “you just grab somebody” to run for president. Another voter told Fox 29 that America is the weakest it’s been under Joe Biden.
NBC News spoke with Pennsylvania voters, who said the sentiment among Democratic voters in the state is a mixture of “disillusionment” and “embarrassment.” One voter said Biden’s decision to step down was because “he put country first” and that she’s “on board” with Harris, who is “a part of the Biden administration’s success.” Ultimately, the panel said voters need to know more about Harris, that she needs to “introduce herself more.”
Fred Johnston, a Pittsburgh voter, told the Associated Press he was “terrified” at the prospect of a second Trump term and that after Biden’s debate performance, wanted Biden to pass the torch to Harris. Johnston said “Kamala is someone we can vote for, and that’s what we need.”
In Georgia, another swing state, Black voters offered a mix of reactions, with one young female voter feeling pessimistic. “I don’t see America actually accepting the fact that a Black woman is running for president,” said Brianna Smith. Another voter, Pierre Varlet, said he would gladly support anyone that “can express the policy of the Democratic Party better than Biden.”
Biden’s candidacy came with a noticeable lack of enthusiasm among young voters. With Harris likely to be at the top of the ticket, that enthusiasm gap may close as the Harris campaign is “hopeful” the Vice President’s “online persona can translate into more fervent support.
Harris rallied campaign staff on Monday in Delaware. While no formal vote or selection has occurred, barring unforeseen events, Harris is expected to be the nominee after garnering endorsements from much of the Democrat Party establishment.
