Kamala Harris, the Vice President of the United States, is facing low approval ratings, with 42% of Americans viewing her very negatively, according to recent polls. This unfavorable view of Harris is significant, as it is uncommon for political figures to receive such low ratings. In comparison, the favorable and unfavorable numbers for President Joe Biden are quite distinct. However, Harris's favorable and unfavorable ratings are nearly indistinguishable, indicating that she is also in poor shape in terms of public perception.
The connection between presidents and vice presidents in the public mind is important, and Harris's readiness to serve, as she claims, may actually undermine President Biden. It is notable that last summer, Harris had negative ratings that outweighed her positives by 17 points, which was the highest recorded number for any vice president at that time. In December, a Gallup poll showed her upside down by an 18-point margin. The most recent Suffolk University USA Today poll revealed a 25-point gap between favorable and unfavorable opinions of Harris. In fact, according to the Los Angeles Times, Harris has lower ratings at this point than any of the previous four vice presidents, including Mike Pence, Joe Biden himself, Dick Cheney, and Al Gore.
