Could racism or sexism be playing a role in this presidential campaign? Asked about the notion in an interview with NBC News earlier this month, Vice President Kamala Harris brushed it off. "I will never assume that anyone in our country should elect a leader based on their gender or their race,” she said.
And while Harris frequently recounts her background on the campaign trail, she tends to focus more on her middle-class roots than her race or gender. It’s in contrast with Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, both of whom made such aspects of their identity a bigger part of their presidential campaigns.
But voters are clearly aware that Harris is a Black and South Asian woman, and issues around race and gender have been inextricable from this election. What’s less clear is how Harris’ race and gender are influencing how Americans plan to vote, and current polling offers mixed signals.
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