President Joe Biden’s campaign launch video, which featured several clips of Vice President Kamala Harris, coincides with a push within the White House to rehabilitate her favorability numbers, Axios reported.
Administration officials are focused on improving Harris’s rock bottom approval ratings as Biden ramps up his reelection efforts, the outlet reported. Some in the West Wing are concerned Harris, whose favorability sits at roughly 38 percent, could hurt the campaign in battleground states.
Biden’s reelection campaign video, released Tuesday, showed Harris and the president together several times. White House officials are especially concerned about the vice president hindering the campaign, Axios reported, because with Biden’s old age taking center stage, Harris is facing increased scrutiny.
Axios political correspondent Alex Thompson said Biden's launch video that "heavily featured Harris" is evidence of a "strategic shift" in the White House to boost her image.
"It’s not in spite of her lower poll numbers but because of them," Thompson said.
The Biden administration will plan speaking events for Harris focused on popular Democratic issues such as abortion and infrastructure, Axios reported.
Officials close to the vice president had reportedly been frustrated at Biden’s slowness in helping improve Harris’s image, according to Axios. They argue the vice president has been assigned to deal with losing issues such as immigration.