Harris' Pennsylvania Prospects Dim, Could Cost Her 2024 Bid

Political analyst Mark Halperin alleges that Vice President Kamala Harris faces an uphill battle in Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state in the 2024 race.

Amid the 2024 presidential campaign, Vice President Kamala Harris's chances of securing the essential swing state of Pennsylvania are being questioned by political analysts and insiders, raising concerns about her overall electoral prospects.

Renowned political analyst Mark Halperin has expressed skepticism about Harris's chances in Pennsylvania, arguing that her current standing in the state could significantly impact her ability to secure the presidency. Speaking on his media platform 2WAY, Halperin revealed that none of the national strategists he consulted ranked Pennsylvania as the most likely battleground state Harris would win.

Harris' Pennsylvania Prospects Dim, Could Cost Her 2024 Bid

"As you can see here, this source of mine, whom I trust very much, a very smart person, put Pennsylvania sixth, the sixth most likely state for Harris to win. If that's true and Harris loses Pennsylvania, almost certainly not going to win [the 2024 race]," Halperin asserted.

Halperin's projection is further corroborated by two Democratic insiders he conversed with who are well-versed in Pennsylvania politics. They believe that Harris is not only trailing in the state but is also likely to lose. While they did not rule out her potential victory, they deemed it unlikely.

Harris' Pennsylvania Prospects Dim, Could Cost Her 2024 Bid

Halperin emphasizes that Pennsylvania's significance in determining the outcome of the 2024 election cannot be overstated. It is one of seven swing states that played a decisive role in the 2020 contest between Trump and Biden. In the current political landscape, these states will once again hold the key to electoral victory.

According to Halperin, Harris's inability to capture Pennsylvania would severely hinder her path to the presidency. "This is the ball game, right? This is it, the question of ‘where do you get 270 electoral votes?’" he said. "If Harris can't win Pennsylvania… very difficult to see what her best path is."

Harris' Pennsylvania Prospects Dim, Could Cost Her 2024 Bid

National polls currently depict a tight race between Harris and Trump, with the Real Clear Politics polling average indicating a 1.9-point lead for Harris nationally. However, in Pennsylvania, the race remains deadlocked at 47% for both candidates.

The two frontrunners are expected to visit Pennsylvania this week ahead of their upcoming primetime debate in Philadelphia. Trump will participate in a Fox News town hall on Wednesday, while Harris will return to the battleground state on Thursday.

Political commentator Karl Rove has also expressed concerns about Harris's narrow lead, cautioning Democrats that it may not be sufficient to defeat Trump in November. "On this day in 2020, Joe Biden was up 7.1% above Donald Trump in the Real Clear Politics average. And at this point in 2016, Hillary Clinton was up 6.3%. As you remember, the election came down to a handful of votes in a handful of states," Rove noted during an interview on Fox News' "America's Newsroom."

As the 2024 campaign intensifies, the spotlight will be firmly placed on Harris's performance in Pennsylvania and other swing states. Her ability to secure these crucial electoral votes will ultimately determine her chances of emerging victorious in the race for the White House.