Despite Flaws, Kamala Harris Could Win Presidency, Warns Conservative Writer

A prominent conservative writer has warned Republicans that Vice President Kamala Harris could win the presidency despite being a "tragically flawed candidate."

In a column published Thursday titled "Kamala Harris could actually win," National Review's Charles C. W. Cooke argues that while Harris is a flawed candidate, so is former President Donald Trump, who no longer has the media's unwavering support.

Cooke points out that Harris has rapidly consolidated support and endorsements, and has also brought in huge fundraising hauls, effectively clinching the Democratic nomination ahead of next month's convention.

Despite Flaws, Kamala Harris Could Win Presidency, Warns Conservative Writer

He argues that "small shifts in sentiment" brought on by positive press coverage for Harris can "quickly add up" in a divided country.

"If the question in play here were solely, ‘Is Kamala Harris a good candidate?’ my answer would be an emphatic, unalloyed ‘No[,]’" the columnist said.

Despite Flaws, Kamala Harris Could Win Presidency, Warns Conservative Writer

"But that’s not the sole question — or even the material question," Cooke continued. "The material question is whether Kamala Harris and her as-yet-unappointed VP aspirant can win an election against Donald Trump and JD Vance. And I absolutely, unquestionably, categorically think that she can."

Cooke acknowledges that the Biden-Harris administration is unpopular, with Biden being the most unpopular president in modern history and Harris being the most unpopular vice president since polling began.

Despite Flaws, Kamala Harris Could Win Presidency, Warns Conservative Writer

However, he also says that voters "still do not like" the leading Republican ticket, Trump and Ohio Sen. JD Vance.

"Donald Trump is unpopular," Cooke wrote. "JD Vance is unpopular. In every Senate contest other than West Virginia and (perhaps) Montana, the Democrat is running away with the race. Insofar as the GOP has a good shot at the presidency this year, it is because much of the electorate dislikes the incumbents marginally more than it dislikes the GOP. That, though, could change."

Cooke concludes by warning Republicans that if they want to prove him wrong, they will need to "escape from their post-convention jubilation — and work like hell."

The Harris and Trump campaigns did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.