An American historian and expert on US presidential elections says the Democrats may still have a very good chance of winning in November if they unite behind the new candidate.
American University Professor Allan Lichtman made the remark in an online interview with NHK after President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the November race. Lichtman is known for correctly predicting the outcomes of many presidential elections.
Lichtman said it is an “incredibly profound development” for the sitting president to step down from the race just before the party convention.
He noted that President Lyndon Johnson pulled out of the 1968 election, but his exit came many months before the convention.
Lichtman said the Democratic Party still seems to have “a very good chance of winning this election” if it follows Biden’s advice and unites behind Vice President Kamala Harris as the party candidate.
He said the Democrats “would be ultimately foolish” if they failed to unite behind her. He said it would in effect be creating the same conditions of 2016, when Donald Trump won the presidency.
Lichtman said the Republicans now have to fundamentally change their strategy. He said they campaigned against Biden saying he is too old and too diminished for the job, but Harris is young and vigorous.
Lichtman said Harris is “eminently qualified” as a vice president, former US senator and former state attorney general.
He said it would be very dangerous for the Republicans if they go after Harris by highlighting that she is Black, Asian and a woman. He said it would backfire on them, particularly with abortion rights, which is an important issue in this campaign.