The New York Times Rates 10 Democrats’ Chances of Beating Trump — And Puts Kamala Harris Dead Last

(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

A collection of New York Times journalists believes that Vice President and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris is the least electable candidate Democrats could put up against Donald Trump this fall.

After President Joe Biden announced that he would not seek a second term in the White House on Sunday, the Times enlisted eight writers and columnists to grade ten potential candidates on both how electable and how exciting they would be.

And although she finished fifth in the latter category, she finished dead last in the former — and more important — one.

On a 10-point scale , Harris was rated a 4.6, and was one of only two candidates to have the average of their electability scores fall below 5 (California Governor Gavin Newsom was the other, at 4.9).

“She has no demonstrated appeal to swing voters, and she cannot run away from the Biden-Harris record on inflation and immigration,” wrote Josh Barro .

“A mediocre politician from a deep-blue state with low national approval ratings, she may find a way to win, but she would be nobody’s top choice were she not the top choice of the president,” submitted Ross Douthat . “Relief at Biden’s exit will generate a lot of professed enthusiasm, but it will be fake.”

“Even Biden fans see Harris as one of the weakest elements of his administration,” noted Pamela Paul . “A country desperate for change would bristle at the feeling that once again, real democratic choice is being sidelined in favor of the most deserving insider. And Harris is a fundamentally weak candidate. She fizzled out early in her first presidential run and floundered in the vice presidency.”

Despite the concerns over Harris’s electoral viability, the Democratic Party has quickly coalesced around her as Biden’s replacement; most prominent party leaders have already endorsed her and she has reportedly locked up enough delegates to be called the presumptive nominee.