Clyburn leaves major name off list of future Democratic leaders — before correcting himself

Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) did not include Vice President Kamala Harris on his short list for leaders in the Democratic Party post-2028.

He listed Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD), Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-cA), Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA), and Gov. Roy Cooper (D-NC) as top contenders in an interview with Politico .

But when asked about Vice President Kamala Harris, Clyburn said she would still be relevant to the party.

"Well, she’s automatically on the list as vice president,” Clyburn said.

Serving in Congress since the early 1990s, Clyburn until last year was the No. 3 House Democrat and a co-chairman of President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign. His endorsement of Biden in 2020 was attributed to being a strong influence in Biden clinching the primary win in South Carolina.

Since September 2023, Clyburn has said he does not see Harris as a presidential candidate for the Democratic Party to be a given, but he did say he sees her as “a part of that future.”

Meanwhile, a majority of voters polled said it is quite unlikely for Harris to win a presidential election. A poll found that overall, 57% of voters said they think a presidential win for her is unlikely. Even among polled Democrats, 31% said they don’t think she will win.

But if Harris is elected to the Oval Office, only 40% said she will make a good president.

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When it comes to her role in a second Biden term, 23% of Democrats and 34% of independents said Biden should find a new vice president.

Harris is in the middle of her economic "Opportunity Tour," which began on April 29 and is focusing on economic growth that's occurred since the Biden administration began.