Vibes and Polls and Positioning of the Harris Candidacy

As I wrote Tuesday, Kamala Harris passed on an opportunity to define herself as a moderate when she selected the progressive favorite Tim Walz as her running mate over more moderate options.

But does Vice President Harris really need to redefine herself? It’s a question many readers posed in response (sometimes as a critique), and it was mostly unaddressed by the article.

Two weeks ago, the answer seemed like an obvious “yes.” Now? Well, many of those concerns might be two weeks out of date.

When Ms. Harris entered the race, she appeared to be a weak candidate by any measure. After all, President Biden’s flagging candidacy survived as long as it did in part because there were doubts about whether she would fare any better. The polls showed Donald J. Trump leading her in a hypothetical matchup, and a clear majority of voters said they viewed her unfavorably.

Seventeen days later, Kamala is brat. The donations are flowing. Arenas are packed for her rallies. The groundswell of support isn’t coming from just the Democratic base, either. Her favorability ratings have surged in recent polls, with now almost half of voters saying they have a favorable view of her. She’s taken a narrow lead in the polls against Mr. Trump, and she might still be gaining.

How did Ms. Harris do it? What’s striking is that she didn’t have to do much. Mr. Biden’s decision to drop out, and her entry into the race, instantly electrified the Democratic Party, and she’s ridden an enormous wave of pent-up enthusiasm for a new face and fresh energy.