US Vice President Kamala Harris has already consolidated support among powerful Democrats as the likely nominee to run for President, raising a record $81 million in the 24 hours since Joe Biden stepped down. A Monash expert is available to talk about how her nomination will play out in the media, and how a female presidential candidate will be perceived by US voters.
Dr Blair Williams, Lecturer in Politics and International Relations
Contact: +61 431 067 541 or blair.williams@monash.edu
Read more of Dr William’s commentary at Monash Lens
The following can be attributed to Dr Williams:
“As a Black and Indian woman, Harris also faces what has been called ‘misogynoir’—a specific kind of racist misogyny aimed at Black women, who are frequently stereotyped as being angry, hypersexualised, or a ‘strong Black woman’. In the 2020 campaign, for example, the media unduly focused on her gender and race, with the ‘angry Black woman’ stereotype being most prevalent in this coverage. If Harris becomes the Democratic nominee, I expect we will see even more of this kind of coverage, not only because she will be in the centre of the spotlight as a presidential candidate, but also because she will be the direct target of Trump’s attacks.
“Since the overturn of Roe v Wade in 2022, abortion has been a key issue among voters as well as an issue on which the Republicans have performed poorly. A consistently strong defender of abortion rights, Harris would be wise to centre this in her policy platform.”
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