Biden dropping out and Harris’ boost: What it means for the Carolinas

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — With just 104 days until the November general election, President Joe Biden’s unexpected decision to drop out and his subsequent endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris have introduced new dynamics to the Democratic ticket.

Dr. David White, a political science professor at Francis Marion University, said the recent change at the top of the Democratic ticket will not drastically alter the outcome in South Carolina. However, the surprise move may pave the way for an intense and highly competitive election season.

“I mean, a lot of people like Joe Biden, but they, you know, had concerns about it. So, this has really helped the Democrats,” White said. “Now, does it mean they’ll win the election? No, we still have three months to go. Though, I think it might end up being closer,”

White noted that Harris’ potential nomination could energize Democratic voters in North Carolina, potentially making the state a more competitive battleground.

“Younger people were having a hard time, generally speaking, getting excited for Biden, at least, you know, Democratic young people,” White said.

He expects both campaigns to focus heavily on swing states, but suggests this newfound enthusiasm could boost voter engagement and turnout in both Carolinas.

“The key is not just getting people excited. It’s getting them to the polls, on Election Day and in the weeks before Election Day, because a lot of voting is done before Election Day these days,” White said.

Despite this, White believes South Carolina is likely to remain a Republican stronghold.

“It seems like a lot of people who are coming to South Carolina are more Republican-oriented,” he said. “So, I think we’re becoming redder, actually.”

White also highlighted that Harris’ late entry into the race might give her just enough time to build momentum, but warns that the window is closing.

“Biden dropping out probably happened at the latest possible time where Harris can still benefit from it,” he said. “If it was two weeks later, it’s less time to rally the folks and let people know who you are.”

White said he expects to see an effort to get more young people registered to vote.

“Especially for the Democrats. That doesn’t mean there are young people that won’t [vote] Republican because there are, as you know, particularly in the rural areas, but there’s going to be concerted effort to get more young people registered throughout the country,” he said.

On the other hand, the Trump campaign faces the challenge of countering this new energy on the Democratic side. Harris’ presidential campaign announced earlier this week they raised over $100 million from Sunday afternoon to Monday evening.

“The money coming in to help her, a lot of people are excited about it. Now, how can Trump respond to that? Is he just going to go back into attack mode? We don’t know,” White said. “They have to come up with their response and I don’t think they have figured it out yet.”

Ultimately, White said the effectiveness of each party’s campaign strategy will be crucial.

“What they do over the next three months is going to impact it. So, either candidate, either party has a good chance,” he said.

We won’t officially know who will be on the Democratic ticket until delegates place their votes during the Democratic National Convention. That starts Aug. 19 in Chicago.

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Savannah Denton joined News 13 in July 2023 as a reporter and producer. Savannah is from Atlanta, Georgia, and is a graduate of the University of Alabama. Follow Savannah on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of her work here .

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